Oblivionious
by Paul Midnight
Summary: I can see you never expected this; well, most in the midst of a story never realize where they are, but especially those within them. Do any realize the beginning of great events in their lives? Do any ever really see the end coming? Let's find out.
1. Part I: Fan Service

**Oblivionious**

by Paul Midnight

**Part I: Fan Service**

"By Azura! By Azura! By Azura! It's the Grand Champion! I can't believe it's you! Standing here, next to… me!" I couldn't help myself, he was everything I imagined he would be and far more; more powerful than a Minotaur, faster than a running black horse, able to leap a chapel in a single bound! It was Dragonheart himself! I felt my own heart fluttering and my hands began to sweat, I couldn't decide whether or not I should hug him or fall to his feet! Oh, he was glorious in his red and white raiment, so much nobler than the Gray Prince. He smiled at me! Oh Azura I could have just _died_!

"Hey kid." His strong imperial accent rumbled warmly.

"Yes, oh great and mighty Grand Champion? Is there something you need? Can I carry your weapon? Shine your boots? Backrub, perhaps?" he paused, furrowing his noble brow; oh what, deep and brooding thoughts did that immaculate forehead hold?

"…wait, did you say something?"

"Wow! You're the grand champion! I saw your fight with the Gray Prince! You're the best! Can I... can I follow you around? I won't get in the way!" I repeated to the very letter, I was thrilled! _He remembered me_!

"Oh… huh. You really want to follow me, kid? The roads are pretty dangerous after all, I don't think it would be best for…" he gave me a searching look from head to toe, I could feel his battle prowess summing me up! Oh the amazement! "…someone equipped with a dark green shirt, green felt linens, and a pair of huntsman moccasins."

Oh but Dragonheart I come prepared, I have this steel dagger, a torch and _three_ gold coins! I'm ready for _anything_! I cried… inside. Who was I to tell the great Dragonheart about worthiness? He narrowed his dark brown eyes at me, his long brown pony tail flowing in the wind majestically, oh I could just look at him!

"Sure Kid, let's go." He shrugged.

_Azura I must be dreaming!_ "Golly, you're the best! I'm going to follow you and watch you and worship the ground you walk on! Let's… go!" I sighed falling right in line behind him. He smirked at me handsomely and then we were off, oh the speed of his great thighs and the power of his calves, he could kick a Brown bear over! I could not believe my luck, it was, _the greatest moment of my life_!

We traveled for a while, running through the city where he then exited outside along the road past the stables and down to the large bridge, and there we were crossing the great bridge, _together_! We made to the other side and we passed a sentry, I made sure to smile at him to show everyone _I_ was traveling with the Grand Champion! We moved down by the water to cut across the bea- OH SWEET AZURA A MUDCRAB! "HELP! MURDER!" The vicious beast leapt at me with gleaming terrible claws and beady little eyes filled with hate, I'm afraid I… I ran, leaving my beloved hero to face the pinching horror himself! Oh horrid day! Oh the shame! I heard a squish and turned to see Dragonheart looking at me with his hands on his hips. I-I, I was so ashamed I couldn't speak, so I walked back over to him quietly, but to show him I wasn't scared of him I smiled bravely up at him. He raised a single brown eyebrow, and then turned diving directly into the slaughterifsh infested waters!

I was so shocked I-I didn't call out to him, but then I saw him swimming to the opposite side and I knew it must have been a test! Yes! A test of my courage and worthiness to follow him! Why, without a word more I dived in right after him. I swam quickly, down to the bottom, then back up, and down again. He stayed below near the bottom the entire time, his powerful arms pumping! Oh the grace! We made it to the waterfront without trouble; I was worn out completely, but he didn't even break stride as he continued up to a row of dingy houses where the poor and villainous beggars resided remained. A strange red Argonian in a hunter's vest eyed me like a piece of meat, but I only smiled at him! I wouldn't fail this test, no! I would show Dragonheart I could brave the slums, oh yes! Suddenly he went inside one of the shacks and I quickly followed. Inside was cozy enough, perhaps he was taking care of a sick widow?

That would be just like him! Dragonheart, truly dragon hearted! To care for the poor even when he had such riches and fame as the Grand champion! He knelt down to the chest and removed his raiment! Oh his golden bronze completion glowed in the soft candle light, and his muscles shown strong and ripped like a statue! He was rifling through the chest when he pulled out a belted vest, black wide pants, and a pair of blue suede shoes. I was confused, what could he possibly want with such low class item when he had such a fine raiment, I wondered if he was going to donate these items to the poor perhaps, but then he put them on! Azura! The Grand champion in low class clothes? Was this shack really his? It couldn't be! I was about to despair but then it hit me, of course the Grand Champion would dress this way and live here! He was a hero, he was showing solidarity with all the people of Cyrodiil! Oh such _nobility_! I smiled brightly as he turned to me.

"Yes, oh great and mighty Gr-" I began to say but he stopped me;

"What's your size, Kid?" he said; straight to the point, he was a marvel! But by Azura I couldn't figure out what he meant in the slightest, I couldn't help but stare at him, uncertain what to say. "Yeah, you know cloth- oh never mind, it'll fit anyway. What's your favorite color?" He held before him a collection of hoods, one blue, green, red, and last black. Was he going to give me a _gift_? I stood there with my mouth hanging open, dumb to the world. The Grand Champion was going to give me a gift! I-I couldn't accept it! The honor was just… too great! We stood in silence for a while with him staring at me staring at him staring at me staring at him, when finally he put the red and black hood away. "Okay look, blue or green, yer wearing green but it's kind of off, so do you want blue? It'll make you easier to spot in the dark." He added. _Oh how thoughtful!_

Still I couldn't form words, cursed lips! But he held up the green and blue, thinking carefully, oh what I wouldn't have given to say to him that green was my favorite color, but that green was a little silly… but dare I contradict the Grand Champion! "Eh, we'll go with the standard green hood, which is, oh look, brown." he said. Oh what a sense of humor! He had me going there for a while, oh ho ho! But still! He held out the hood to me with his own hands, the hands of the Grand Champion which were the weapons that smashed the face of the Gray Prince! I stared at it. He stared at me staring at it. _I couldn't bring myself to take it and touch those mighty hands!_ Oh Azura it was too much, finally he simply told me to hold still.

"Here? Right here? What about, say... over there? No? Right here? All right then, you're the Grand Champion! Whatever you say!" I babbled, oh the humiliation! Contradicting him! Second guessing him! Oh Azura send me to oblivion for ever and ever for my base tongue! He moved behind me, I turned to follow him, he gave me a dull look. Was he upset with me? Oh the horror, _the horror_! Then he crouched down, and snuck behind me again! I… I… what was I to do? I stood stock still, he was, _sneaking_ behind me! I couldn't hear his steps, or even see him, oh his stealth was amazing, though I knew he was behind me, I didn- suddenly something filled my pocket. I gasped, There was the brown hood in my pants! Oh glory to Azura! How did they-? Oh! But it must be a gift from the gods! Yes! They who have swept down and placed this gift from the Grand Champion so I would not have to bear humiliating him! I swiftly shoved the comfortable hood upon my head, not caring if I hid my outstanding hair cut my mother had done for me!

Suddenly the Grand Champion appeared from nowhere right in front of me. "Ready Kid?" he said.

"Golly, you're the best! I'm going to follow you and watch you and worship the ground you walk on! Let's go!" I said happily, only later realizing I had already said that exact same thing, curse my paintographic memory! Then we were off swimming back through the slaughterfish infested waters and across the land. I was afraid at first because we strayed from the road and we were always told to stay on the road, but we went completely unbothered, it must have been the Grand Champions fearful aura that scared the dangers away, yes! He was so powerful his very presence kept the creatures of the woods at bay! My heart was beating fast from all the running, but I didn't complain, no, I wouldn't utter a peep- not in front of Dragonheart! I was exhilarated to follow him, but couldn't help feel a little easier as we neared the road again. This was much safer tha- OH AZURA AN OGRE! "BY THE GODS!" I cried and… I had to flee! I had to! But couldn't, not in time, no! No! Noooo!

The Ogre struck me with a terrible blow and I was soaring through the air, I landed on the ground, stunned, I couldn't move! Oh every bone in my body had to be broken, I just knew it! Oh I just knew it! But… for some reason I felt perfectly fine. It was as if… I had on armor or something! By the nine it must have been the gods! Oh I stood up and found nothing was broken what so ever, oh happy day! But wait, the Ogre was still coming at me! "GUARDS HELP! THERE'S A PSYCHOPATH ON THE LOOSE!" I cried, running for my life, suddenly the Ogre flew past me after a triumphant scream from Dragonheart! The Ogre flopped across the ground like a wet sack! Oh and he then unleashed a fireball which exploded not two feet from me! I could feel the heat from it, and then, oh! The Ogre flew away even more! Dragonheart ran forward and fired again, the Ogre bounced away like he was made of paper! It was astounding!

He turned to me, "You okay kid?" I simply melted!

"Yes, oh great and mighty Grand Champion!" I said then quickly silenced though my lips kept moving, I didn't want to repeat myself, not again! He stared at me for a moment and nodded.

"Look Kid, you're going to have to hold your own if you want to survive around here, so, take this." Then from nowhere he pulled a daedric two handed sword! By Azura the massive black and red blade looked like it was pulled from Oblivion itself! And he was giving it to _me_! I stared at it opened mouthed, unable to move, unable to speak! Unable to _breathe_! He stared at me staring at him staring at me staring at him for a while then sighed and crouched again, an- Azura! He stuffed the sword into my hands! I gasped! His generosity knew no bounds, oh the sheer glee! I was all ready to bend down and kiss his blue sue-

"STOP RIGHT THERE CRIMINAL SCUM!" a nearby guard screamed, running over to us. I was so startled I nearly dropped my sword! "Stop, you have violated the law! You must pay the court fine or serve your sentence. Your stolen goods are now forfeit!" Surely there must have been some mistake, Dragonheart only bent down to hand me the sword! It couldn't have been stolen, no one sells daedric artifacts like this!  
"What? I just- You were-!" Dragonheart said looking around.

"THEN PAY WITH YOUR BLOOD!" BY AZURA HE ATTACKED DRAGONHEART! Oh no! The guard was swinging, Dragonheart was blocking!

"BLASTED AI!" Dragonheart cried, trying to defend himself, oh the horror! Oh the blood! Oh the clash of metal against metal!

"BY THE GOD'S THERE'S A PSYCHOPATH ON THE LOOSE!" the guard screamed, oh Azura save me he was a monster! "PAY THE FINE!"

He swung at Dragonheart, Dragonheart blocked and countered, oh no! Don't attack the guard Dragonheart even if he is insane he is still the law! They swung, a left, and a right, an uppercut, a push back, oh Azura what do I do? What do I do! Suddenly Dragonheart struck him with a strange spiral green energy and the guard fell over like he was made of stone! Then he turned and fled! Oh good job Dragonheart, now you won'- OH AZURA A MINOTAUR! "HELP! MURDER!" the minotaur was attacking the fallen guard! What do I do? What do I do? Dragonheart came running back!

"BLASTED AI!" he shouted again, was it his battle cry? He struck the Minotaur with his bare fists, oh no Dragonheart don't he'll squash you! but the Minotaur recoiled! That's the Grand Champion for you! Ah! The guard was recovering, now he and Dragonheart coul-AZURA HE ATTACKED DRAGONHEART AGAIN! But why! Oh why! The minotaur is attacking him, but he won't stop hitting Dragonheart! Oh Azura save me! "BLASTED AI!"

"HELP! MURDER!"

"PAY THE FINE!"

"GRRROONNK!"

The minotaur was tearing through the legionnaires armor, Oh and the guard's sword hit Dragonheart again and again! It was madness ma- OH AZURA A TROLL TOO! What should I do! What should I do Azura! Dragonheart was surrounded and the guard was near death I- suddenly Dragonheart blasted all three around him with the same spiral of energy, they all flopped over paralyzed, but more importantly he hit me with a spell, and! Why! I felt invigorated! I felt myself grow stronger! Why I felt! I felt! _Rallied_! Hefting my sword I struck at the troll!

"HA HA!" I shouted cutting into the foul beast again and again as Dragonheart hit the Minotaur with a bolt of lightning, fire, and ice all at the same time! I swung, and swung, "RAH!" I screamed hitting the troll who kicked at the guard. Dragonheart hit them all again with the paralyzing green spell and they fell over, then I struck again! And again! Azura I was a hero, strong and powerful! I swung and swung at that troll! Then suddenly Dragonheart unleashed another spell I had never seen before, it sent the minotaur flying back like a rag doll! Oh glory it was amazing! The troll collapsed beneath my blade! Ah ho, I was worthy to fight at Dragonheart's side yes! Ha ha! But the guard was still trying to kill him! What a fool, what could I do? Before I lifted my bloody blade though, Dragonheart vanished! He was gone! Oh no, the gods have taken him from us unworthy mortals! It was pure insanity! I cried falling to my knees!

"Where are you?" the guard said, the fool! Did he not realize Azura cursed us for our folly? To dare think we would be worthy of such a great man… I could almost weep! Finally the guard sheathed his sword and slowly walked back over the crest of the hill. Oh how would I live with myself after this? I- why I- suddenly Dragonheart reappeared right before me! I was filled with elation! I just couldn't take it!

"OH DRAGONHEART!" I cried. He looked at me in shocked and horror!

"STOP RIGHT THERE CRIMINAL SCUM!" oh no! The guard was coming back! _And his horse was running after us too_! Sweet Azura save meeeee!

…

We arrived at the inn a few hours later, having fled for the guards life. I have no doubt Dragonheart could have killed him if he kept up his foolish nonsense. I'll never look at an Imperial guard the same way… We arrived in Chorral where we stopped in at a local eatery, the Oak and Crosier. Dragonheart was notably happier once we entered.

"Hey Tala." He smiled at the Khajiit behind the bar; funny I thought her name was Talasma.

"Hello Stranger," she said throatily; well I suppose all Khajiit speak throatily, she seemed to recognize him -who wouldn't? He was the great Dragonheart!- though, she called him stranger. "Come for a… meal?" she said strangely. My were Khajiit strange people! First she didn't know him, now she's was giving him a hug! But I guess that is the price of fame, maybe she only recognized him up close. I stood at the bar next to Dragonheart as they talked in a low whisper, Dragonheart bought me a SweetRoll! Oh was there no end to his kindness? I gulped it down and was about to thank him when suddenly an Argonian gasped from the doorway.  
"My hero!" she cried, then she ran over to Dragonheart and threw her scaly arms around his neck. Hmph! _Fangirls_. I couldn't help but pout as she hugged him; I also felt a bit embarrassed because she was making such a _huge_ scene, everyone knows he's Dragonheart okay little girl? There's no need for such dramatics! Dragonheart being the good natured person he was returned the hug and kept his arm around her as he and the Khajiit continued to talk to each other. I was beginning to feel a bit jealous, after all, I was Dragonhearts' fan before he became Grand Champion you know. When suddenly someone struck up a conversation with me. We made a bit of small talk, but I really would have rather spoken to Dragonheart, curse my nervous tongue! We were having a pleasant discussion about the summerset isles when suddenly I felt a strong hand on y shoulder.

Dragonheart had touched me! _Me_! Oh Azura! My life was complete! Then I realized he was talking to me. "Here? Right here? What about, say... over there? No? Right here? All right then, you're the Grand Champion! Whatever you say!" I answered without thought, oh the elation! I was babbling again! I was mortified, but then Talasma told me which room was free and Dragonheart was leaving, with the Argonian fangirl! Ugh! Some fans have all the luck, being walked home by the generous Dragonheart! I wish I could have gone with him, but I knew my place. He had said to stay right here. So stay here I would even if the place burned down to the ground! Heh heh heh! The Dunmer beside me struck up a conversation with the Khajiit.

"You're not closing early are you? I have a very important contact to meet here and a pretty hostess would seal the deal!" he huffed importantly.

"My bar, I can close early whenever I want!" she said coldly, "You have rooms, just the bar will be closed, and this pretty hostess has another place to be!" she growled. Then before I knew it she was cleaning up! How strange, she even made sure to lock her valuables under the bed she kept behind the bar. Did she plan to stay gone all night or something?

"Hmph, Khajiit trollop." The Dunmer grumbled, I looked at him; who was he talking too? There was nobody there but me. I liked his hairdo but I wasn't interested in speaking to such a huffy person. "She'll be hailing the Champion of Cyrodiil, until morning…" I blinked at him. He caught my questioning look. "She'll close shut the jaws, if you know what I mean." He elbowed me in the ribs, I rubbed my side giving him my most perplexed look.

"What are you saying, sir?" I asked.

"That Imperial, Dar-Ma, and that Khajiit? They'll be over at Arborwatch all night… grinding potion components, if you know what I mean." I shook my head. "They'll be training Acrobatics; picking each other's pockets; polishing spears!" he said loudly in my face, I gave him a blank look and he grabbed my shoulders, "They'll be duplicating scrolls!" he shouted. I looked at him in shock and my brown hood nearly fell off! Unfortunately the hostess was still getting ready and heard his loud rant, she glared at him like a predator and- oh Azura I'd never seen a pale Dunmer before! He quickly turned tail and fled the room. I watched him go then looked back at the Khajiit, she smiled at me kindly.

"Pay no attention to him…" she said flipping her tail and perking her ears. "…we'll just be being doing a bit of hand to hand and Athletics." She purred and then winked at me. Without another word she sauntered out of the bar; the guardsman standing to the side burst out laughing when she was gone.

"Oh that crazy Champion!" he laughed.  
"Don't insult Dragonheart! I would follow him to Oblivion and back, through thick and thin, I will be at his side, fighting by his side no matter where the wild winds of fortune may blow us! No matter what adventure may await us! No matter what danger lurks around the corner, I will be there with him! …sir!" I said firmly, I really stood up for him! My father, rest his soul, would be proud!

"No offense my good Bosmer, if you follow him, then you'll realize there is more truth to my words than you know." He wiped a tear from his eyes, looking so high and mighty with his silver double handed long sword. Why, mine was Daedric! "Especially tomorrow."

"Why what happens tomorrow?" I asked him curiously, though still angry at his impertinence when it came to addressing the Grand champion.

"Oh? Didn't you hear? A strange door appeared in the waters off Bravil. An eerier voice has been calling for a Champion and he's the Champion of Cyrodiil you know, so he's said he'll go and find out what's happening on the other side… a strange place." He looked worried. My jaw nearly dropped, Dragonheart was the one who stopped the Oblivion invasion? How could I have not known! Oh I was so ashamed of my lack of trivia knowledge I almost didn't hear the last words of the guard… "Yeah, they call it the Shivering Isle, realm of the Daedric Prince, Sheogorath." _Oh Azura!_


	2. Part II:The Champion Sheogorath Deserves

**Part II: The Champion Sheogorath Deserves.**

Azura, oh! There we stood by the strange doorway! It looked like three faces, I just knew I wasn't going to survive, but Dragonheart, oh! Why! Dragonheart marched right up to the doorway. "You can't see me." A female Khajiit said to my right, she was doing a strange kind of dance, and there was a guard, he seemed afraid! Suddenly, a booming voice erupted, I dove to the ground, oh Azura I just knew Sheogorath was going to send lightning bolts at me any second! I heard shouting, then fighting, and the booming voice! It was horrible! When it quieted down, I looked up, Dragonheart stood looking wearily at the guard and oh no! There was a dead Dunmer on the steps!

"GUARDS! SOMEONE'S BEEN MURDERED!" I cried, but the guard only glared at me and Dragonheart quickly pulled me inside the gate with him! Oh no! What horrors awaited us in the realm of madness! What tentacle'd terrors, braining eating monsters and blood sucking villains awaited us? What, _madness_! I turned to see a bald man sitting at a table with a book and a metronome. I looked around quickly for traps as Dragonheart bravely sat down to face this fiend who hid his true form so well! I wouldn't' let Dragonheart down, oh no! I would protect him from any danger! Ha ha! I found a crack, obviously the perfect place to hide a dangerous and most villainous trap! Oh don't worry brave Dragonheart, I shall save you! I poked my finger inside, how courageous I was! There didn't seem to be anything there, ha, they must have fled. That will show him.

Suddenly, the wall burst into butterflies! Azura, they were beautiful! Surely they couldn't have been the product of the Madgod? No, why, it must have been Azura herself sent to show me everything would be alright! Yes, my courage had paid off with a favor of the gods. I turned around and the bald man was gone, Dragonheart was looking at me as I crouched on the floor. He raised his chiseled eyebrow at me and I stood at attention! "All is well Grand Champion sir! No dangers here, or… there! or… over here! I've looked, and I've not found…. Anything!" I said happily. He smiled at me.

"Keep your sword about you." he rumbled. Oh! I had almost forgotten the light-as-a-feather two handed Daedric sword he had given me; I adjusted the brown hood he'd handed to me too, a gift from the gods! And together we set off down the hill, it looked kind of spooky, but it wasn't so bad reall- OH AZURA WHAT IS THAT THING! Some kind of frog man came running at us, Dragonheart ran forward to meet it and POW! Oh hooray! Dragonheart punched it soundly and it went flying! How wonderful, how amazing! How beautiful, elegant, and and- _astute_! I rushed over to Dragonheart.

"Oh Dragonheart that was awe-inspiring! _You're_ awe-inspiring!" He looked down at me with his handsome face and smiled humbly. Oh how modest! How- oh but now we were moving again. What a kind fellow Dragonheart was, I could follow him to the ends of the world! We then came upon two people talking, they dressed funny! Azura I could have laughed and laughed! And I did. They ran away, oh? It must have been the sight of the noble Dragonheart, even here in the realm of madness he was recognized. Dragonheart followed them, perhaps to reassure them it was going to be alright. Oh that was just like Dragonheart, to make sure everyone was comfortable ar- OH AZURA A GIANT! But oh! He was surrounded by warriors; whew! I was afraid for a second there, but why should I be? I was with Dragonheart! The mighty and strong, and besides the warriors were being lead by a pretty tough looking Or- OH NO! IT KILLED THEM AND NOW HE'S RUNNING AWAY!

"GUARD'S HELP! SOMEBODY'S BEEN MURDERED!" I cried turning to run as well, the giant was coming for us! But oh Dragonheart charged right for him! How could I run? How could I _not_? OH it was horrible! Dragonheart was punching it, it was slashing at him with its great arm, and now oh some kind of spell, oh Dragonheart was having trouble with this one! He was casting spells I'd never seen, but the big Giant kept at it, oh! And now he brought out a bow, oh! He's such a great shot! Look at the arrows hit exactly where they're supposed to, even while moving he hits it perfectly each time! Ha ha! Look at Dragonheart go! He was swinging and firing, and there was lightning and fire, boom! Kwooosh! Oh wow, I'd never seen anything like this in the arena, this wasn't berry jam and ham acting! Oh no this was truly a battle of the titans! Whack! Wham! Go Dragonheart! Go!

Three…hours…later… they were still at it. Oh what stamina Dragonheart had! Oh… how tired I was… I could barely keep my eyes open, but they kept fighting, Dragonheart was such a marvel to beh- hold on… A Dunmer was approaching, a female Dunmer in a dress! By Azura she was going to be killed! But suddenly, oh! The Giant stopped attacking Dragonheart and went to her! oh no! I was so tired I couldn't stand up from my rocky perch, but-but-oh! She started talking to it like Dragonheart wasn't even there! How foolish! Now Dragonheart was pummeling away at it while she continued to blather about tears or some such, and, then, what was this? She dropped a handkerchief? OH! And now the giant goes back to fighting Dragonheart! I went over and picked up the piece of cloth, it was soaking wet! Ick! She might want her handkerchief returned but I'd have to wash it first, so I squished it into a bottle; how could one Dunmer make so many tears?

I turned, and the giant and Dragonheart were still fighting. Oh how amazing he was, how gallant and brave! He would fight on and on until the very en-"THE BONES SING TO ME!" someone shouted in my ear!

"GYYYAAAAHHH!" I shouted back! Oh no! I had thrown my hands up in surprise, and the bottle went flying and smash! It hit the giant! Oh what had I done? Wait! Maybe it would distract the giant long enough for- what was this? Dragonheart's punches seemed to be working even better now! The Giant was reeling! Oh Yes! Hooray for Dragonheart, he was finally getting serious!

"Why don't you sing the _bone song _with me?" the strange man from before said into my ear. He was dressed all in fur with a strange bow and arrow. I didn't have any time for his nonsense however, so I politely decline and stepped away. "Suit yourself; leg bones connected to the leg bone, leg bones connected to the… leg bone, the leg bones connected to the… leg bone, lets all sing alone! Them bones them bones, them, singing bones, them bones them bones, them, singing bones." _Azura!_

"JUST DIE!" Dragonheart cried and with one mighty blow he felled the giant barehanded! Oh good show Dragonheart! Well done! I cheered, jumping up and down. But oh! The bald man appeared again and was talking to Dragonheart. Do I dare get closer? Was _that_… Sheogorath?

"I believe them bones are me." said the crazy person, I moved away from him as quickly as possible. Then, oh! The bald man was gone again! He must have been the madgod himself! Oh Dragonheart, how you could stand to speak to such a… a… _devil_! Dragonheart stood between two gates now, one on the left, the other on the right, did we have to chose? I would have chosen the gate behind us, but I knew Dragonheart, he had to press on. There was a glorious quest here, a dire need for his championship! "I _hate_ bananas cause they ain't got no bones." the man behind us grumbled. Dragonheart stepped forward and I followed him, we went… left! There was a long hallway of darkness and then suddenly we were on the other side and, OH! AZURA! How did I get to your lofty home? Was this, was this…? It was beautiful! The colors! The sounds! The wonder! Oh how beautiful, we must have surely passed the test of madness and been reward by a glimp-OH AZURA A GIANT BUG! OH HELP HELP! It stung me!

I was hurting badly and Dragonheart was blasting it with bolts of lightning and fire, we hadn't seen it! We couldn't have seen it, it looked like it blen-OH AZURA A TREE ATTACKED DRAGONHEART! Oh no! This couldn't be your heavenly abode Azura, the trees moved with malice! Oh Azura save us! Terrible terrible! He was fighting again, surrounded, an- SWEET AZURA A SKINLESS HOUND! Oh help help! I was running in circles with it right behind me! It was huge! I couldn't fight it! Ohohohohooo Azura why! Why Azura have you forsaken uuuuuusss! Suddenly, Dragonheart came swooping in, Pow! He knocked the horror over! Wham, smash! He laid into it with his fists. Oh hooray for Dragonheart! It was done in short time, what a hero! What a- _MY_ savior! I ran back to him showering him with praise! I was safe as long as Dragonheart was by my side!

He, why! He touched me on the chest and I felt invigorated! I was healed! Oh Dragonheart you never cease to amaze me! I smiled bravely and we continued on our quest, over the hills, and through valleys. I wisely kept my eye on any tree we passed, and sometimes gave one a sound whack with my sword, that should teach them to move! Ha ha! We traveled a long ways until we came upon a great city, split in two! How peculiar? Dragonheart approached, and oh Azura, there was a living golden statue standing there! She was beautiful! Everything I had imagined beauty to be, not as beautiful as Dragonheart of course, but she was very pretty none the less.

"Speak quickly mortal." She said. Oh! The impudence, to talk to _The_ Dragonheart like that! I was _going_ to set her straight but Dragonheart walked right past her. That should show her Dragonheart! She wasn't that pretty after all! Hmph! We entered the city and oh, it was beautiful too! The streets, walls, and everything was just lovely! Could this really have been the realm of madness? Why my father, rest his soul, would have laughed at the very idea if he hadn't been killed in the great war… and he never did find that special ring of his. I was slightly lost in thought so I didn't see where we were going until it was too late. We were standing in some great hall with two kinds of carpet, and it was a very lavish place, almost. The bald man was there again, but he wasn't sitting in the throne, oh no! Oh Azura! He wasn't sitting in the throne! _Someone else was_! It was the Daedric prince of Madness himself! Sh-sh-sh-sh-SHEOGORATH!

"The Isle, _The Isle_! A wonderful place!" I'm sorry Dragonheart! I… I… I fainted.

…

I awoke next to terrifying sight. A khajiit was sitting over me… staring... oh Azura he was baring his teeth at me! "Do you like dogs?" he asked me.

"What I-I-I…?" I stammered, staring at those great white teeth.

"I like dogs. I'm Bhisha, nice man gave me one hundred coins to come to Bliss, but there are no dogs here. I was sad, but then, nice man says if 'Bhisha watches over little man', nice may wouldn't tell anybody about me sneaking over to pet Ushnar's dogs in crucible!" he smiled, his eyes gleaming dangerously! Oh Azura he was going to eat me alive! Wait, did he say nice man? Did he mean, Dragonheart? Oh! Well if Dragonheart, trusted him enough to watch over me, I suppose it was alright. I looked around, I was laying on a sleeping mat beneath an overhang, outside right next to the street. We were still in the beautiful city but Dragonheart was nowhere to be found.

"H-How long have I been out?" I asked. The Khajiit named Bhisha kept smiling at me. He wasn't that dangerous looking after all, even a little sweet.

"Two days, I tried to revive you with water, small man drank it all down, but didn't wake up." Bhisha frowned at me, what? Two days! Oh Azura how?

"What did you give me?" I asked in horror, he handed me a bottle. "Roofwater wine?" I gaped, I'd never drank anything alcoholic before in my life! and he poured a whole bottle down my throat?

"It said water." Bhisha shrugged. Oh Dragonheart! He was sweet, but a fool! And he boozed me up! Oh help! But… my head didn't hurt? Weren't people suppose to have terrible hanging overs after drinking? I looked at the Khajiit suspiciously.

"Did you do anything else to 'help me'?" Bhisha continued to smile.

"Only give you medicine." I sighed in relief, Golly! I was sure lucky, maybe he realized his mistake and went to a good doctor. "Sickly Bernice gave me special potion, said it would 'end all of your troubles'." Azura! What did he mean by that? Bernice? Wasn't that the name on the bottle? _Sickly_ Bernice? "You slept most of the third day too." Bhisha said thoughtfully. What? Now it was three days! Oh Azura!

"But I thought you said two!" I gasped! How could I not?

"Yes, two," Bhisha nodded, "Two weeks." _Oh Azura_! "You not wake up so I go ask really smart person this time, a Bosmer like little man!" Oh thank goodness, one of my brethren would know how to best treat a poisoned fellow! "Thadon, the Duke of Mania, he gave me all sorts of great medicines to try! I tried them all and you didn't wake up after any of them." he sighed shaking his head sadly. By Azura! By Azura! By Azura! I've been taken hostage by madmen and thieves! Oh help me Azura! I mean, Madcats! Oh dear what am I going to do! "After third day nice man come and check on you, see you not up and ask Bhisha about what happen, I tell him eeeeeeevvveerrything! He went to see the Duke and then went off. He didn't return for loooooooong time. Then he come back and touch you with this nice cup! Not as nice as dogs though." Bhisha paused.

I stared at him, waiting for him to continue, Oh Dragonheart! You must have gone on a quest to save me! "And? What happened?"

"Oh! Cup make little man all better and nice man have to return it to the Duke." Bhisha answered. Oh I knew it! Dragonheart went on a daring quest to save my life! Oh but how perilous was it that it took him so long to complete? "Of course nice man had to eat medicine too to get to place for cup that save you, and then he came back without it first, and Duchess of Dementia make him zap people in Crucible, zap zap! Bhisha not zapped though, No, I was in Bliss. Dog was zapped, poor dog. But then, nice man come out of palace with sad face and he go and get cup right away." Bhisha finished. Oh what a tragic tale! Dragonheart suffered because of me and my weak constitution! If I hadn't of fainted from running all night I wouldn't have slept all day and been intoxicated, poisoned, and then drugged! Oh but Dragonheart saved me! What a hero! What a marvel!

"Now little man is awake, Bhisha can leave and maybe look for a dog, good bye little man!" he said cheerfully.

"Oh! Goodbye!" I said just as cheerfully, I was perfectly fine now! Why, I was better than ever before! I stood up feeling like a new man, and quickly ran back to the palace to find Dragonheart and let him know I was alright! I neared the Palace but one of the Golden women stopped me.

"Halt! None may enter New Sheoth without invitation!"

"But I'm here to see Dragonheart, _The_ Arena Grand Champion and The Champion of Cyrodiil!" I cried.

"Champion? If you mean Sheogorath's Champion he left to retrieve the flame of Agnon hours ago." _Just how long was I really out?_ That crazy Khajiit!

"Oh, when will he be back?" I sighed, broken hearted.

"Look behind you mortal, you can already see his glorious approach!" I turned expect to see Dragonheart carrying a torch, oh how majestic that would look! How regal! Ho- AZURA HE WAS ON FIRE! STREAKING ACROSS THE GROUND LIKE A COMET! OH AZURA! OH DRAGONHEART! He was covered in green and gold flames from head to toe running in a blaze for the center of Bliss!

"OH AZUR, SOMEONE SAVE HIM!" I shouted

"Do not fear Mortal," the guard snickered, "he brings the _cold_ flame of Agnon." The what? The cold flame? Did that mean he wasn't burning? Oh Azura, was Dragonheart alright? I quickly ran down to find him. I burst inside the strange chapel and there he was! Unharmed! Oh happy day! But oh no! He was talking to, to, Sheogorath himself! As equals! On the guile! the gall! and the gallantry! Dragonheart was speaking to the Daedric Prince of madness without fear. I couldn't hear what they were saying, I was… well I was cowering by the side, but from what I could tell Sheogorath was giving Dragonheart a very specific choice. A strange choice which he couldn't quite decide upon. He looked confused, and lost. Oh Dragonheart! I had to reveal myself!

He lifted his head and when he saw me he smiled, glad to see I was alright! Oh the brave and bold smile! But then, oh! His eyes turned dark and stormy, deadly, as if remembering something. Could he have been upset about what happened to me? Oh what a generous and kind person! His eyes were hard, haunted, I'd hate to be who ever he was mad at! By Azura it looked like a storm was brewing behind his eyes. He spoke!

"I've chosen…" Oh what resolve! "I shall be the Duke of Dementia."


	3. Part III: By Azura

**Part III: By Azura**

Dragonheart, the Champion of Cyrodiil, told me to wait for him. He told me he had to do something very important for the Realm of Sheogorath I applauded his bravery but, oh, but, he told me to wait in the Chapel of Arden Sul, and Sheogorath himself was staring at me! Oh Azura, he might eat my eyeballs!

"Well, well, well, what have we here? A Bosmer, a wood elf, or maybe both or neither! _I love your hair cut_!" he shouted at me! Oh Dragonheart, please come back quickly, but to show him I wasn't afraid to show him I knew Dragonheart would return I gave Sheogorath my best smile.

"I-I-I h-h-heard wuh-wuh-wizards w-w-where b-b-boycotting g-g-goods i-i-in t-t-the s-s-summerset isles-s-s…" I tried to make pleasant conversation, but my knees where rattling!

"Oh ruh-ruh-ruh-eally?" he smiled at me, "Well the only Isle you best be worrying about are MY isles, order is coming to wipe us all out you know! Paint my nice island red, with blood, or maybe plaid…" He looked amused, "I like plaid, but I _hate_ wearing it. Go figure, and while you're figuring, you can figure out why I haven't made your guts match your hair cut! Was your head shoved down a whirlpool and flushed?" he laughed at his own joke! Oh Dragonheart help me!

"T-t-t-the Grand Champion won't b-b-b pleased if I-I-I'm not near when he comes b-b-back!" I tried to say, but then I realized it might have sounded like a threat! Oh no! Did I just threaten the Daedric Prince of Madness himself? Azura!

"Grand Champion? Well he is a Champion, but Grand? That's like a Grand Master, a Grand Matter, a Grand Mother! He isn't any of those things, none of the G-M words! Except for good marrow… that he has. Do you have good bone marrow?" His voice kept fluctuating between light and angry. "I could order a bone marrow burger. Order? Order is coming! I should give you a few Orders, yes, that would be good wouldn't it? or would it…" Oh Dragonheart, whatever you were doing, please come back quickly and save me from this madman! No! Better yet, please come back and let's go back to where we really belong, back in Tamriel; things were much simpler in the Arena. There I could cheer him on and no one would threaten to eat my bones, Oh Azura, are these the trials a hero must prevail against? "How about this little Bosmer, how about I give you a very specific task for me, one that serves me and even helps your precious champion. What do you say to that?"

"I c-c-c-could help Dragonheart?" It was hard to stare into those mad eyes!

"Y-y-y-yes! You could! But will you? Ah there's the rub! Or the itch! Or the sneeze, perhaps you even have a burning sensation?" He then twirled his cane and slammed the end of it down right by my foot. "How about you go back to your world, and collect something very important for me. Nothing specific! Just a little trinket misplaced by your champion in the Arena…" He leaned closer and by Azura it looked like his eyes were burning into me, whatever he asked me to retrieve I would just to get away from his insane stare! Oh! His voice became crystal clear, more clear then I had ever heard him before! "It's a little yellow square… with a big blue exclamation mark…"

…

I quickly agreed and he snapped his fingers! Oh Azura I was sure I was done for, but I found myself standing outside of a strange pool of blue light. It, why, it looked like I was back at the door we had first entered! But how could I leave poor Dragonheart in the Isle of Madness alone? He would need me! I heard the croaking behind me of the same of monster from before and quickly entered without another thought; oh Dragonheart forgive me! Back in Tamriel I pleaded for the Guard to send in help for Dragonheart, but he ignored me! He said I, oh! He said I had been in there too long and wouldn't speak to me! The insane Khajiit was there too, still doing her strange dance! I ran as fast as my legs could carry me all the way back to the Arena! Unfortunately this was easier said then done! It was several days walk from Bravil all the way to the Imperial City Arena! And I was already so tired; I wondered if I might have a relapse from all the 'medicine' that Khajiit had given me. But I soldiered on! I rested when I had to and foraged too!

Finally, here was some familiar ground! Here was a place that was familiar, safe! I ran straight down to the blood works, I had to find the Blademaster and explain my mission, but when I arrived I was so relieved I felt waves of exhaustion finally roll over me. I had to rest! But Dragonheart needed me, and Sheogorath was waiting… but, it was just to sit down for a while after all, surely it wouldn't cause too much trouble? Right? Right? -I awoke with a start; I was laying on one of the mats the gladiators usually slept on! Oh! The Blademaster was standing over me, how long had I slept? What happened to Dragonheart? I stood up quickly explaining what I needed; he gave me an odd look. "Yellow and blue you say?" I nodded eagerly, the Redguard rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "Well now that you mention it we did find a few of these things on the corpses of some summoned minotaurs, but don't ask me where they come from, I don't even know who summoned the extra minotaurs." He stood and walked over to a door I hadn't seen before. It was tightly sealed and looked like it led to the sewers! What was he going to do with me?

"Alright, we usually dump the bodies down the drain, but the larger ones need a bit of work to move. If you want to search em' for these… parchment things, you'll have to go down yourself. I not wading through all that meat." He then cracked open the door! Oh Azura! It was the most terrible smell I'd ever found, I doubted Oblivion itself was so bad! The Redguard smiled and me and placed a hand on my back comfortingly, I suppose he was a good fellow after allLAAAAAA! He pushed me down! "Get moving, I'm not leaving this door open all day, don't want my red room to smell even worse!" he laughed and with a sickening realization I heard the door close! It was pitch black! Oh Azura! Oh Azura! Oh Azura! In the sewers, surrounded by corpses! What was I going to do! The stench was nearly overwhelming, but I pulled the brown hood Dragonheart had given me over my head. Just touching it reminded me of his courage and his tenacity! Why, Dragonheart would scoff at such a task. What was there to fear? They were already dead, so it was only a matter of looting which Adventurers did daily! Yes! And I was an adventurer wasn't I? I was on my first quest after all.

Taking heart in the memory of my Champion I dove in! So to speak, it was rather disgusting after all, so I gingerly stepped around the massive shapes in the dim light. I wanted to light a torch but hadn't brought any. I doubt I would have liked what I saw even if I did, it was probably better this way. With some difficulty I finally found a Minotaur by his horns and began the grisly task of searching him. Much to my amazement I found exactly what Sheogorath was speaking about; a kind of, square made of faintly glowing metal perhaps? Either way, I pocketed the object and quickly tried to run back up the steps. I pounded on the door with all my fury, and it opened easily! Ah ha! The Redguard hadn't abandoned me after all, I guess now he would show me a little more respect for my brave deed. "Did you find your little toy?" he snickered. I gave him my most impressive look.

"I'm on official business for Sheogorath on behalf of Dragonheart himself!" I huffed, but the fool only smiled further! Why, he even laughed!

"Sure, Sheogorath, Dragonheart, whatever you say kid." And then he pulled me through and shut the door! Oh the insolence! The arrogance! The, the…._fragrance_! Holding my nose I spoke just as haughtily.

"Gund Dey!" I said and marched off, I'd show him though! Why, I'd make it all the way back to the Shivering Isle myself, on foot! The walk was much easier on me and I didn't have to fear Sheogorath's wrath for failure, even still it took a good two days to reach my destination- Oh what had happened to Dragonheart in all of this time? Perhaps when I arrived he would be able to use whatever the strange plate was to further his quest enough to finally leave? What a joyous day that would be! It would be just swell! Without hesitation I dove into the waters of the bay and swam ashore, it even refreshed me- knowing was I was going to see Dragonheart again. Oh! The guard and the Khajiit were still there, as was the Dunmer body! Oh horror! It was just, _laying_ there! why didn't anybody move it? Would they really let it decompose on the steps of a dangerous portal? Maybe they thought it would scare away unworthy adventurers? Well, I wasn't going to be scared! Not I! I had searched loads of corpses! Well… alright, maybe only one, but it was far larger… still…

Carefully I went past the guard, who eyed me suspiciously. What a strange fellow! Why wouldn't he help me? Even guards were too afraid to go where I had dare tread! Yes, I liked the sound of that! Why it smacked of glory! I bravely entered through the door once more, and found myself somewhere else! The isle! The land! It was all a desolate, kind of chalky, grey color… everything looked dead! I-I, well, the sight left me slightly less brave, but I continued to soldier on! Yes! I marched forward and called out, "Sheogorath! I have the item for you, will you ah, magic me to Dragonheart now?" I said meekly. One best not order about a Deadric Prince you know, but, he didn't answer… nothing happened… Oh dear, I would have to traverse the strange Isles… alone! Suddenly a hand gripped my shoulder! I nearly fell flat on my face from fright! It was… the bald man from before!

"I believe you have something for my lord?" he said in a dry tone.

"Well yes, but I would like to give it to Dragonheart, it's to help him you know."

"That won't be necessary, as you can see this isn't a very safe place right now, and while you were off in Mundus; events took place which I'm sure you'll be dying to be made aware of, so, I'll just take you to my lord and then we can be done with this little 'quest' he has given you for whatever reason." He said just as dryly.

"You sound like it wasn't important at all!" I said somewhat despondent, I had been through a lot for it and it was my first quest! Successful too!

"Oh no, I'm sure it was dreadfully vital to whatever plan my lord Sheogorath has, it would simply be helpful to know exactly _what_ plan he has." The bald man then shrugged, "But one can never tell; Prince of Madness and all that, so, shall we?" I didn't really see any choice, but being by the Daedric Prince would get me closer to Dragonheart so I agreed and he spirited me away in a puff of purple smoke! We arrived just as Sheogorath and Dragonheart were talking before the throne room, it seems they were having a very serious discussion!

"I fear our time has run out… as I feared it would, my plan failed. The Greymarch is upon us and…" but when he saw me he stopped! He looked at me with those burning eyes and Dragonheart turned too, oh! He was surprised to see me, and he looked so, so tired! I wonder what happened to him while I was gone? It was so strange. "YOU!" Sheogorath cried, "Do you have the Missing Name?" he came at me, hands grasping! Oh Azura protect your humble servant!

"I-I-I don't' know about that, but I got the object you wanted!" I cried. He slowed as he came near and his face lit up like a lantern, Oh Azura I was certain he was going to chop me into bits! With his teeth! Immediately I held out the object, and Dragonheart gasped. "Yes! YES! My plan hasn't failed! I can still stop the Greymarch! Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!" Sheogorath cackled, throwing his cane to the floor and he held out his hand! "Now just give me the missing name boy…" Oh but Dragonheart's eyes were wide with shock.

"Wait a minute, that's, that's impossible… I didn't…" he was stammering. "I didn't program this! Did someone hack my code?" Oh! What was he talking about? And Sheogorath was standing inches from me, his hand out stretched. Azura, what should I do?

"Hand over the missing name boy or I'll scoop out your innards." He growled dangerously.

"No Adoring fan! Don't give it to him!" Dragonheart shouted! Oh what could I do? Dragonheart said no, Sheogorath said yes! I was stuck between them, and I couldn't move!

"Give me the missing name!" Sheogorath growled.

"Don't do it! It'll crash everything! I haven't saved! Let me save first, hold on." What was Dragonheart talking about? Oh no! He had finally gone mad! After all this time! Poor Dragonheart! Trying to save- who? What? Himself? I didn't know what to do!

"It'll do more then crash my friend, oh ho it will do more than that! You thought you could get away with moding the console, thought you could outdo me on the forums with your fancy text to speech emulation software, one upping _my_ new quest software, well guess what punk? You've just got owned!" Then he turned to me; "DROP IT NOW!" he screamed! Dragonheart screamed! Oh I-I-I! Azura! I didn't know what to do, my hands got all sweaty, my lips quivered and… I dropped the plate!

"OBLIVAOWNED!"

"HAX!"

"BY AZURA! BY AZURA! BY AZURA!" Oh! Why was my voice repeating endlessly? I wasn't saying anything anymore! What was going on! Dragonheart screamed, covering his ears, Sheogorath just laughed! Oh Azura it kept on echoing and echoing and echoing! It sounded kind of pretty though… but everyone else was rolling on the ground! It was horrible! Horrible! Then my voice began to distort, slowing down, and picking up speed! Oh it built and built until! Oh Azura there were suddenly thousands of me! Everywhere! And we were all simply repeating "BY AZURA! BY AZURA! BY AZURA! BY AZURA! BY AZURA! BY AZURA! BY AZURA! BY AZURA! BY AZURA! BY AZURA! BY AZURA! BY AZURA! BY AZURA! BY AZURA! BY AZURA! BY AZURA! BY AZURA! BY AZURA!" More than thousands of me! They could flood out over the Isle, out through the portal, out through Tamriel! All while constantly chanting the same thing over and over and over and over! Oh Azura it was madness! Madness! But… it was… kind of nice. Yes, and army of me, all fighting for the glory of Azura… and wasn't I an adventurer? Wasn't I brave? Why I'm sure with this many of us we could take over all of Tamriel and Oblivion and the Nine Divines… why… we could rule the world! For you Azura! Yes we would cover the world, no matter the losses, and dedicate the greatest holy war to you!

So I raised my fist in the air and shouted to my brethren! "BY AZURAAAAAA!" they echoed my scream a billion fold! Sheogorath and Dragonheart stared at me, their eyes wide as my true calling was finally revealed to me! Oh glorious day!

"Oh shi-" They said in unison.

…

So began the greatest war ever seen in the existence of time, a Plague of yellow pointed heads, marching in step across the globe…. across dimensions… the Nine Divines could not withstand the power granted to the One who was Legion. Even Mehrunes Dagon, Lord of Destruction, could not destroy enough of them. For every one that fell, ten took his place. Death mattered little to them… the strange door poured them out without end, always chanting their battle cry. "BY AZURA BY AZURA! BY AZURA!" This haunting call would come to spell the end of life as all knew it, instead statues were erected to the Daedric god Azura and more, her name came to mean fear, destruction, and misery. Her realm bled into the realms of the other Deaderic princes, but they could not fight back, for they too were crushed beneath the endless tide of bodies streaming from the Madgod's realm. Finally… when the dust had settled, untold number of hunters moccasins stood in silent awe as the army had finally reached the very feet of Azura's garden itself. They had marched across all realities and where finally truly _by Azura_! She stood regal, yet, disturbed by the massive amount of faces staring up at her, who all, as one spoke in a booming voice that could shatter the universe.

"By Azura! By Azura! By Azura! It's Azura! I can't believe it's you! Standing here, next to… me! Golly, you're the best! I'm going to follow you and watch you and worship the ground you walk on!" And even in the depths of her beautiful Garden, at the heart of her power, bolstered greatly by the flood of worship… Azura knew fear.


	4. Prologue: Crazy Khajiits

**Prologue: Crazy Khajiits**

"Wake up, kitty kitty." A sharp tongued voice cut the air, causing the other body in the adjacent cell to stir. Slowly the tall furred and tailed form stood, moving slowly towards the door, drawn to waking by the voice. "That's it. There's a rat in my cell, Khajiit. A fat, tasty rat. Does the kitty want it? Is the kitty hungry? You'd better take whatever you can get in here, Khajiit. They don't feed the new prisoners. Didn't you know that? First they starve you. Then they beat you. Then, if you're lucky, they kill you. That's right. You're going to die in here!" The wicked voice of Valen Dreth cackled, clearly pleased with his latest vicious initiation of the newest Khajitt prisoner; it did not have the expected result.

"Khajiit? I'm not a Khajiit." The clearly six foot feline rolled his head, "I'm an Imperial."

Valen Dreth had only a moment to pause, wondering at the strange yet certain tone of the obvious Khajiit before him; suddenly he knew exactly why they had thrown him in here. "You actually believe that don't you?" Valen laughed, face brightening, this would be fun.

"What's not to believe? I'm an imperial, you're doing it wrong, you're suppose ta… suppose ta…" The Khajiit rolled his head again, taking a deep breath and then hunching his shoulders, "Oh, look, an Imperial in the Imperial Prison. I guess they don't play favorites, huh? Your own kinsmen think you're a piece of human trash. How sad. I bet the guards give you "special" treatment before the end. Oh, that's right. You're going to die in here, Imperial! You're going to die! Or something..." The Khajiit cackled in what was clearly meant to be an impression of the Dunmer. Valen Dreth had never been so insulted in all of his life.

"You dare torment me? Valen Dreth? Let me out of this cell, you filthy piece of Guar dung!" Valen roared, reached through the bars with all of his might. "You mangy house cat! When I get through with you, they'll use you for a fur rug!" The Khajiit only looked at him, he then rolled his head again and had to catch his balance, turning away and ignoring all of Valen's threats. "I'll skin you, then I'll stuff you, you filthy skooma addict!" Valen snarled again, but before his threats could be answered, voices carried down the hallway. Valen froze, recognizing the authority in them, and something else. Quickly he shuffled away to stand from the door, seething. As he thought, a guardsmen came down followed by a woman, and… Emperor Uriel Septim himself! Valen was shocked, so shocked he only caught the last hints of the conversation.

"No, they're dead. I know it." His Kingly voice droned.

"My job right now is to get you to safety." she answered. "What's this prisoner doing in here, this cell was suppose to be off limits!"

"Usual mix up with the watch, I uh…" the male guardsmen stuttered.

"Nevermind, get that gate open-"

Before another word could be uttered the Khajiit leaned heavily into the bars, "Prisoner, stand back, we won't hesitate to kill you if you get in our way." he slightly tittered. The guards however did not find his joke funny.

"You there, prisoner-" the male guard began.

"OOooover by the window. Yeah yeah." The Khajiit interrupted again, but did not move.

The male guard was stunned, but rage quickly colored his face. "We don't have time for this! Stand back or I'll run you through!"

But the Khajiit made no move, instead he leaned further through the bars and pointed at the Emperor. "I know you, let me see your face!" he intoned in a booming voice much like the emperors own, was… was the fool mocking the emperor? Valen Dreth grinned hideously to himself, this _was_ going to be fun to watch!

"Why you-!" the guard began but the Emperor actually stepped forward.

"No, hold… he is right, for I have seen him before. He is the one from my dreams."

Suddenly the Khajiit gripped the bars and shouted in the same mock emperor voice, "Close shut the jaws of oblivion!"

The Emperor gasped, "How did you…? Do you share my dreams, you have seen the fate which awaits us, the doom which even now takes my sons?"

The Khajiit did a kind of spin in place hanging onto the bars, "All except Martin." Again the sharp intake of air, and the Emperor came closer.

"Sire, be careful!" the female warned.

"No, it is as I have seen, he-"

"Son's companion, guided by the stars, hour of your death, shrill tongue, I know, I know, you can just give me the amulet now if you want." The Khajiit shrugged.

Finally the male guard had had enough of his impudence, and quickly reached forward to cuff the prison on the face. "That's enough from you, skooma addict, you're wasting our time!"

"Wait, I said!" The Emperor barked.

Surprisingly the Khajiit, reacted in alarm. "That… hurt. That actually hurt." He said in wonder, the drowsiness from his voice gone. "But it can't hurt, I'm, this is…" he then looked at his hands. "No… I was… this can't…" The guards looked at one another, and the Emperor most of all concerned. "No, no, no, no, no, I was just, this can't be right. What's happening?" he said as if to himself.

The Emperor stepped forward, his voice soothing, "Assassins attacked my sons, and I'm next. My Blades are leading me out of the city along a secret escape route. By chance, the entrance to that escape route leads through your cell."

"No!" The Khajiit moaned, "How can I be here?"

The Emperor smiled kindly, "Perhaps the Gods have placed you here so that we may meet. As for what you have done... it does not matter. That is not what you will be remembered for."

"Remembered! Remembered! You don't get it! I'm actually here, this is real! That hurt, _I could die_! This isn't some game!" The Khajiit screeched.

"I understand your fear, but you must be calm, all of Tamriel needs you!" The Emperor turned his head, "Open the gate."

"But sire!" a third guard said, this one male as well.

"Do as I say." The Emperor said quietly.

The first guard came forward unlocking the gate, immediately the Khajiit recoiled from him, "No, don't hurt me!" and suddenly his eyes widened, impossibly, and the glare he gave the approaching guard sent shiver's down Valen's Spine, even from this distance. Without warning the male guard screamed and ran for his life. The other male guard and the female drew their weapons and rushed forward but the Emperor shouted.

"Stay your blades, I command it!" The guards paused, yet kept their blades ready as the other guards ran back up the stairs.

"But sire he has placed Glenroy in danger, the assassins are seeking us even now!" the female said.

"Do not be afraid, they will not harm you." The Emperor said soothingly, approaching the crouched Khajiit. But the Khajiit was no longer terrified, he was too busy looking at his hands.

"…did I just…?" he whispered.

The Emperor did not know what to say, but looked at his other guard. "Baurus, check the stair, see if Glenroy if alright, I'll check the secret pass-" the female guard began to say.

"NO! Th-th-the Mytic Dawn are down there, they're just waiting for you!" he screeched.

The female guard, Baurus and the Emperor looked stunned; "How do you know this prisoner? Are you working for them!" the woman accused.

"No, do you now understand?" The Emperor said calmly, "He has seen as I have seen, though far more then my own dreams. Perhaps, his is a Shaman of his people, sent to me by the divines."

"Sir, you can't possibly…" she began.

"They're aren't any Mythic Dawn upstairs, nobody but the Legion!" the Khajiit said quickly.

"…trust the ravings of a Skooma addict." She finished.

The Emperor frowned, but the Khajiit was adamant, and he suddenly gripped the Emperors robes. "If you go down there you will die."

The Emperor breathed deeply, "Gods give me strength."

"NO!" the Khajiit screamed and stood, pushing past all of them in a furious ball. The blades were trained warriors, but they were unprepared for the sudden mad dash. He flew past them and up the stairs before any could stop him.

"Follow him, he must not be harmed!" The Emperor commanded, giving chase himself. Valen Dreth watched in complete amazement as the group then dashed back up the stairs after the screaming Khajiit …it wasn't what he thought would happen at all.

…

Captain Renault took the stairs two at a time after the Mad Khajiit, she didn't know why the Emperor wanted him alive so much, but orders were orders… and if he was a Mythic Dawn agent… she came upon him suddenly, his white tipped tail thrashing as he slammed his fists into the wood of the door. "Stop where you are!" she called, but knew there was no reason too, the door was locked by Baurus. But the mad cat didn't give up, instead he slammed his shoulder into it all the harder, eyes blazing in a wild kind of fury. Captain Renault slowed, realizing she had to take him alive, and that he was cornered. "Easy there." she tired, placing her Katana down, though she kept her mind on the Steel short sword at his side. "No one is going to hut you."

"The assassins will! I can't fight them they're way higher than I am!" he gibbered, slamming into the door again and again.

"No one is going harm you, you have my word as a Knight of the Blades, I will protect you!" she chanced again as she could think of nothing else. Baurus caught up with her, the Emperor right behind him. "Listen we barred that door so we could not be followed, you can't break through."

The Khajiiit snarled as he kept pounding, "Your protection, -agh!- you'll just die at the first attack –ugh!- and then I'll be alone to fights rats and goblins, -ergh!" he paused, rubbing his sore arm, "And if it's locked how come Glenroy got through?" he snarled then began hitting it again.

Captain Renault was shocked, he was right. If the door was barred, how had the paniced soldier gotten past it? Did he relock it behind him? What magic was this? Suddenly however, there was a loud click at the lock. The Khajiit looked down and instinctively back away in fear, Captain Renault quickly scooped up her Katana again, pressing him behind her, "The assassins! Protect the Emperor!" she shouted, as the door opened to reveal… a Legionnaire guardsmen. He looked at them all blankly.

"The Prisoner is escaping!" he shouted suddenly, and Captain Renault was again shocked to see more of the Legion filling in behind the guard, all readying their steel weapons. But not a single assassin. No cultists, no Mythic Dawn, nothing… just a wall of guards. "Should have paid the fine!" one shouted.

"Halt!" she called, they paused, as if only now recognizing her. "I am Captain Renault of the Blades, you're in the presence of the Emperor, back away!" As one the Legionnaires balked, quickly bowing and moving away. She stared in amazement, the Legion should have been storming the palace shouldn't it? They were being attacked weren't they? That was why they had rushed the Emperor out had they not? Or, or perhaps it _was_ all a Mythic Dawn plot; a ploy to get the Emperor to flee into the 'secret escape route' and thereby ambush him when only a few guards were about. Suddenly Captain Renault had to think twice about the Khajiit's powers of sight. It was then she realized two furry arms were wrapped around her midsection. Before she could react, Baurus came further up the stairs.

"What's happening? Why are the Legion here?" he asked.

Renault couldn't answer, she blushed and quickly tried to push the clinging arms away, but they wouldn't budge. He was pressing the side of his face into her back too, squeezing his eyes shut. "I-I don't know, it could be a trap, fan out, search the perimeter and find Glenroy!" she said still trying to unwrap herself.

The Emperor moved up beside them, "I can not understand."

"Attack Sir, what attack?" The Guardsmen said.

Captain Renault had just about had enough, angrily she gave up and let the Khajiit cling to her as she pointed to various Lengionaires, "You, you, and you four, comes with me; You, you and you, go find the redguard who was with me and tell him to return, then seek out our missing brother, Glenroy. Protect your Emperor!" she commanded. Quickly they did as she asked, filing out the door. Renault turned to try and look at the Khajiit over her shoulder, "And you! Let go of me!" he didn't answer.

Baurus returned suddenly, "Sir, I found no sign of Glenroy."

Renault sighed, then pointed to the Legionnaires, "Baurus, lead three of these men and scout out the passage, we will follow after."

Baurus nodded, "You three come with me." Three Legionnaires followed after him stepping respectfully past the still confused Emperor.

Finally Renault, tried to struggled free of the Khajiit's death grip without hurting him. "Listen, I have already told you none will harm you, you can let go!" but he didn't. At the limits of her patience, she lifted her arms and shimmied in place so he was now laying his head against her chest. "Look, I said I would protect you, alright, here, you can take my hand." she said trying to get him to look at her. Unbelievably, the Khajiit opened his eyes, ears laid back and slowly made to take her hand uncertainly. "Good, now isn't that better?" she said, then turned again all hard command. "Sire I don't know if this is a trick or not, but we'll follow through with our plan. If there really are assassins waiting for us, we shall be prepared." Yet she was slightly taken back by his expression, despite all that was happening, the Emperor couldn't help but smile in barely repressed mirth. Renault was aware her tough commanding presentation was utterly ruined by the shy Khajiit standing there holding her hand and looking at his feet.

"Sire we must keep moving!" she said a bit harshly. As one she started forward, pulling the Khajiit along and the Emperor following behind him. "The rest of you guard the rear!" she shouted behind her, refusing to see their also snickering faces. She made her way quickly down the stairs, though she had to pull the Khajiit with her free hand the whole way. She hated babying him, but he was important to the Emperor, and she couldn't fight with him wrapped around her. When she reached the cells, the wall was already opened and Baurus was nowhere to be seen. She looked around her anyway, and could have sworn she heard the Dunmer in the other cell gasp and begin quietly cursing something. Renault forged ahead, sword at the ready. She pushed her way down the long wall, down the small stairs, and into a corridor. The Legion and Baurus were waiting for her at the gate. "Repor-" she had began to say but the Khajiit pulled her to a stop abruptly.

"No farther." he said quietly, starring at her intently when she looked back to him.

Regardless Baurus complied, "No sign of any assassin's, sir, we stopped at the gates and waited for you."

Renault repressed the snarl on her face as the she continued to look at the Khajiit, the Emperor was right behind them after all. "So much for your assassin's, she remarked lowly." And tried to let go of his hand, but again, he did not. Instead he gripped harder, and prevented her from walking forward.

"No farther." He repeated a little more forcefully.

Renault sighed in exasperation, and fixed him with a hard stare, "Listen, I gave you my word no one would harm you, but I swore to protect the Emperor and have trained to do so my entire life." She forcefully jerked at his hand, but he wouldn't let go, and she found herself stepping away from him and actually pulling him forward. "You're being ridiculous!" she cried.

Finally ripping her hand form his grasp but just as suddenly he lunged forward, ripping the steel short sword from her side before she could react- that was when the sound of two doors opening and someone summoning something filled the room. Impossibly, two figured clad in black armor and carrying wicked summoned weapons leaped from above. "For Lord Dagon!" one brought mace down, but the Khajiit was there holding the short sword up to meet him. The blow meant for Renault skirted off his sword short but in turn impacted the Khajiit harshly forcing him to cry out and fall back. But. Before he could even lift his mace again, the combined blades of Baurus, the Legionnaires, and her own sword bit into him. It was two against at least six, they stood no chance. Gasping the would be assassin's weapon and armor fell away, revealing a man in a purple crimson robe. The Emperor stepped forward.

"Captain Renault?" he asked fearfully. She couldn't answer, she was too absorbed starring down at the Khajiit, she had the strangest feeling… he had just saved her life.

"She's fine sire." Baurus answered.

At these words, Captain Renault whispered, "How did you know?"

The Khajiit held his chest, painfully, wincing but he didn't answer beyond, "Please, don't leave me."

Renault frowned, and held out her hand. The Khajiit looked from it to her wearily, "I won't." she said, and he finally took it. She held him rise, and looked around at all of the men and the Emperor. "The assassins have planned a trap, two of you men return to the Palace, inform the rest of the blades to meet us here, and send down more Legion as you do. Don't worry sire, we'll get to the bottom of this." As she said it was done, the five more Legionnaires joined them, and then ten more blades. All of the marched through the door, down passage ways the Khajiit seemed unfamiliar with, until they came upon a turn- in which he again pulled at her hand, and she made ready for another attack. Like clockwork as soon as he motioned, assassins sprung as if from the walls themselves; yet none of them even got near the Emperor. The royal guard continued in this way, slaying Assassins with the forewarning of the Mad Khajiit, and clearing out the secret passage until they reached a locked gate.

Milling about the soldiers formed a perimeter, a few checked a dead end, and it was at the mention of this the Khajiit again pulled upon Ranault's hand. She had grown to trust him explicitly during this short trial, and instantly halted, turning to him. "There?" she motioned towards the dead end. The Khajiit nodded, then looked back to the Emperor. Renault felt the oddest sense of impending doom, but quickly ushered in five of her best Blades to form a solid wall in the room itself, especially at the window the Khajiit pointed out, though it seemed merely a simple depression in the stone. The Legion themselves were fanned out into the room itself, creating a barricade of iron and steel. Only then did the Khajiit allow Renault to lead him and the Emperor forward. At the far end of the room. Again, miraculously, at his warning Assassins began to pour in from all sides. The mash of steel and summoned weapons filled the room! Captain Renault was about to join the fray when the Khajiit leveled his gaze solely on the window. It was then the Emperor gasped harshly.

For some reason, he turned to the Khajiit, "I feel I can go no farther, it is not my place, this is supposed to be the hour of my end!" and as if cued, the stone opened revealing a very surprised assassin.

"FOR LORD DA-" he didn't even finish his sentence before the Blades made short work of him. Just like that the battle ceased and the Emperor collapsed to his knees, breathing heavily, clutching his chest with eyes closed. Immediately the blades fell to his side, including Renault.

"Sire!" she said, but the Emperor breathed as if in a nightmare. His body wracked with pain, his face turning an ashen white… as if someone were treading upon his grave. Then, slowly his breath abated, his face became softly serene, and he became still.

"No, I can't believe it. We've failed, I've failed!" Baurus whispered.

"No this! Isn't right! This is totally wrong! This has to be some kind of a Joke!" The Khajiit began to cry, "I was standing with, and then… the script?"

"Wait, he's alright!"

Captain Renault shared his relief, but even more so she was utterly shocked; the Emperor stood, taking deep breaths. The color returned to his face, as if fate had simply stepped aside. A feeling she couldn't understand, but knew, the Khajiit had saved their lives. His knowledge of the future was uncanny. Captain Renault gripped his hand hard, making him look at her, "Well done."

Baurus too stood, "He said something about the Jaws of Oblivion."

Suddenly the Khajiit gasped and snapped his fingers, "We have to kill Mankar Camero- without warning a purple light struck the very center of them, as unconsciousness took Captain Renault, as her entire body felt frozen in place… she could have sworn she heard a thunderous voice cry out "HOLD!"

…

Slowly a very well dressed figure sauntered into the midst of the group, all frozen, save one. "Now why'd you have to go and do that?" he said with a slight Scottish accent.

"Y-you! Are you…?" the Khajiit said quietly.

"Real? Yes I'm real, real mad! You just had to ruin it, I give you the perfect little set up and here you go, running it. Or maybe rueing it. Or rowing it. Either way, you're over doing it. And I hate that! You have no idea how hard it was cleaning up the mess after the yellow swirly march."

"Yellow, swirly…?"

"Oh yes, all the bodies just kept piling up, and Azura herself took a lot of flack, but I took more, in fact I took it back. You see they came from my realm, so naturally it was my fault. So there I was stuck with Azura cleaning up your mortal's messes." His golden slit eyes glared menacingly.

"Mortals messes… but… it's just a game…"

"A game? Whose game, yours! or mine…"

"But, I _bought you_ and made most of the mods, especially on the forums, this is all some kind of… whacked out dream!"

"Well don't we have a solid perception of reality, what is and what isn't, and to think you wanted to be a mad god. You mortals and your devotion and meddling with stories that have and haven't been, oh of course we're accommodating and all, but there is only so far we can be pushed. And my boy, when you devote some much time an energy into something, that goes somewhere. Now, where do you think it goes?"

The Khajiit's eyes widened, "You mean…"

"It's kind of like worship don't you think? Loving something so much, day in, day out, painstaking hours and hours.; naturally that kind of spirit can breach realities, and even unrelaties, dimensions! did I mention? Or perhaps not. Well, it doesn't matter. What does matter, is that your matter, is now here. And what do you do? You start messing with the story again! That's MY job! Our job, mine and Azura's. See we had to undo your mess, so now we're going to mess with what you do, but that doesn't mean you get off scott free. Or mike free. Or even dan." The sinister man leaned close, voice low, "We're tired of you devoted worshipers altering the tale that should be, we're tired of you trying to change history like you're some kind of god. So this is part punishment, part present, because this present, is now your own but you don't own it this time. Oh no, now you'll have to experience it just like everybody else… but we'll have to do something about all that knowledge in your noodle."

The Khajiit recoiled in horror, "What are you going to do to me?"

"Oh nothing special, especially nothing, it'll be like you were Never-There." The Khajiit could not scream as the mad god Sheogorath settled in right beside his ear. "Oh by the way… RELEASE!"


	5. Chapter One: Escape From Prison

**Chapter One: Escape From Prison**

The air was damp, and thick with a certain smell… sewage; the close stone walls, dank and musty, a thousand years of despair and pleas wearing them flat. Chains hung still like dead snakes, iron jaws open eternally offering one last bite. A simple table and stool with stone pitcher and cup sat welcomingly aside a flat stone bed… and a skeleton grinned from the floor. The melancholy of the room, he ignored, whether he was there by some past forgotten deed or because he was simple decoration she didn't know… all she knew was she was there. When her eyes opened, she first noticed these things, and the close cotton against her fur. Short, prickly, like she have recently shaved and everything she wore disturbed her. The sensation of the iron around her wrists, forgotten to the smells and sounds heightened by her… _her_, body. The absurdity of a appendage floating in space behind her, mobile without thought, the strange feel of fangs long her tongue… _where in Oblivion was she_? That odd thought struck home, the truth of it, she was there… in the game. The, absurdity of that quickly washed over her, like a shore hammered in a typhoon but before she could even question it, her left hand rested upon something she had never seen. A bag.

It was simple enough, a pouch with a strap around her waist, close, on her right hip. She found her hand reaching into it, and her fingers met paper. Pulling out the tiny note, her feline eyes widened. She knew exactly who wrote it without needing to see the name. Sheogorath, the god of madness from a pixilated digital toy, and others among his ilk grown weary with her kind's meddling had pulled her into the world. To teach her respect for 'the story' of their reality, which somehow breached dimensions and in some distant world she could not reach, was real. Yet she was there now, as real as her own clawed feet in tight sandals were real. The note explained to her, sometimes wandering, sometimes disturbing, but relating everything to her clearly. She was trapped; punished for her constant abuse and alteration of a plaything she had bought in a store. Modifications, cheats, starting over… how many hours she had devoted to it all, gave her a connection to it-across that endless river of possibility- and something rose from the depths and snatched her down. She was there and the only way to get back, was to finish the story to its proper end.

"Wake up, kitty kitty." A sharp tongued voice cut the air, an annoying trill she had come to know all to well… but it was different now, real beyond words to describe. "That's it. There's a rat in my cell, Khajiit. A fat, tasty rat. Does the kitty want it? Is the kitty hungry? You'd better take whatever you can get in here, Khajiit. They don't feed the new prisoners. Didn't you know that? First they starve you. Then they beat you. Then, if you're lucky, they kill you. That's right. You're going to die in here!" The wicked voice of Valen Dreth cackled; she had heard it all before. She turned her gleaming eyes to her cell door, little more than an arched-top barred gate. Across the dimly lit hall, she saw it's twin, and behind them, the red gleaming eyes of a short man in shadow. The malevolence in his eyes, they were real now, and it truly bit into her. Yet what ate at her, was beside his cell. A stone stairway, leading up into the right and disappearing into torch light. Any moment now, four figures would descend to begin her journey through hell itself. But.. as a Khajiit? Why was she…? Her character had been an imperial, what better champion of Cyrodiil than a true native of Cyrodiil?

She had lovingly crafted him, and through her obsession, driven him through every single mission. She had, always planned to go around again and maybe make a Khajiit that would only the missions she wanted… but… why when she could do it all with him? She made him do things she would never do, he was her plaything, but that was the game… and this was real life. She turned quickly, knowing what would come next and began to formulate a pla- but her eyes were again drawn to the note. It said she was being punished for modifying the story as it was suppose to be, altering it to her own whim like some kind of god, so if she tried to alter it now… a true god would make her pay dearly. A rush of fear uncomfortably set all of her light orange brown fur on edge. She knew she had the appearance of a great cat head and tail, but she did not feel fearsome… she felt afraid; terribly, terribly afraid. She knew how this story would go and exactly what would happen to her, what would have to go through -but worse- she _didn't_ know what would happen if she tried to change anything.

"Baurus! Lock that door behind us!" a very familiar female voice ordered. Quickly she stuffed the note back into the odd pouch. Was it her inventory?

"Yessir." came the deep reply.

Next came a very deep droning voice, "My sons…they're dead, aren't they?"

The female voice answered, "We don't know that, Sire. The messenger only said they were attacked."

"No, they're dead. I know it." …she knew it too.

"My job right now is to get you to safety." The female voice replied, its owner finally appearing at the door. She word grey armor, slotted bands like a samurai with green and gold engravings of dragons across the genderless chest plate. The pleats from the hardened reinforced plate work design covering the loins, bleed into a blue thatch leg armor and golden square shin guards. Then too green thatched bands for the boots and gloves, with a similar banded helmet and the hilt of a Katana with a green wrapped handle and golden pommel at her side. The armor and weapons of the Blades, sworn guardians of the Emperor of Tamriel. She was beautiful, fair skin, stern eyes. Her name was Captain Renault. " What's this prisoner doing here? This cell is supposed to be off-limits."

A man dressed exactly as she, with tanner skin and squatter build came up beside her. "Usual mixup with the Watch. I…" that would be Glenroy, an Imperial.

"Nevermind. Get that gate open. Stand back prisoner. We won't hesitate to kill you if you get in our way." Captain Renault pointed her gauntlet at her. She knew what was expected of her, but fear riveted her to the spot. Fear of them and their sheath-less blades soon to be dripped in blood.

"You! Prisoner! Stand Aside. Over by the window. Stay out of the way, and you won't get hurt." Glenroy said sternly. She believed him, because she knew, and slowly drew back against the cold stone wall. The skull to her right continued to grin. Glenroy moved his hand to the lock and the gate swung inward, splitting in the middle. He moved in cautiously, wary perhaps of her formidable appearance. "Stay put."

"No sign of pursuit, Sir." The voice belonging to Baurus said, he was a redguard, meaning an African-like facial features with nearly redish tint to his skin.

"Good. Let's go. We're not out of this yet." Captain Renault said, walking into the room after Glenroy. Behind her, an old man appeared. His face weathered with age, eyes drawn with untold years of hardship. She knew him well but now, in this reality, she was startled by the age of his features. He seemed so frail, yet still somehow so strong. Emperor Uriel Septim, the ruler of all Tamriel. He wore a regal cloak of royal purple with a white spotted fur collar. Beneath which a red garment embroidered with rich gold thread, in a myriad of designs along his chest, but even its red and gold were nothing compared to the necklace which rested upon it. Gold, sharp and keen, shaped like a diamond and encasing a red diamond the size of a human fist: the Amulet of Kings. His blue clear eyes turned to her as her heart ached, for she knew his words and his fate.

"You…I've seen you…Let me see your face…" he moved toward her, motioning for her to come into the scant light from an unnoticed window above. "You are the one from my dreams…Then the stars were right, and this is the day. Gods give me strength.

She could not well remember what she was suppose to say here, what response the script asked of her… but he lips moved regardless, "What's going on?" her voice did not rasp as she had expected, it was her voice. Clear as she had always heard it and still touched by the pain in her chest.

"Assassins attacked my sons, and I'm next. My Blades are leading me out of the city along a secret escape route. By chance, the entrance to that escape route leads through your cell." He smiled to her, kindly, his deep voice like a grand parent from a long forgotten childhood. She didn't have the heart to speak any further, but the Emperor took her expression as concern for herself. "I am your emperor, Uriel Septim. By the grace of the Gods, I serve Tamriel as her ruler. You are a citizen of Tamriel, and you, too, shall serve her in your own way."

"Why am I here?" she all but whimpered, knowing full well the answer, but now in the face of it, found herself unable to face it.

"Perhaps the Gods have placed you here so that we may meet. As for what you have done…it does not matter. That is not what you will be remembered for."

"What should I do?" she asked him, pleadingly almost.

"You will find your own path. Take care…there will be blood and death before the end."

"I know, I have to go my own way." she bowed her head.

Gently, his hand rested upon her shoulder; the contact unexpected but furthering the reality of it, grounding her utterly in the cell with him. "So do we all. But what path can be avoided whose end is fixed by the almighty Gods?" She felt a shiver run through her spine to her tail tip. She knew well who watched her, and he was not benevolent.

"Please, Sire, we must keep moving." Captain Renault finally interrupted, looked from her guards to the prisoner as her hand pressed a hidden stone. Slowly the flat stone bed sank, and the wall behind it slid down revealing a long stone tunnel and white faded stone below it, lit in an eerier green glow. "Better not close this one. There's no way to open it from the other side."

Captain Renault went first, the Emperor's hand drifted from her shoulder as he turned from her to follow. Glenroy went next, glaring. Her heart pleaded for Uriel to stay, her mouth wanting to say all the things she knew she could not. "Looks like this is your lucky day. Just stay out of our way." Baurus smiled to her and followed. In slow motion it seemed, they left her there, she crouched low to the ground hugging her knees. She knew, knew, she would eventually have to follow… but she also knew what waited down that tunnel; for a moment, just a moment at least, she was safe here… in this cage. Two red orbs gleamed at her from across the now locked cell doors, envious eyes, hating eyes. Then the sounds came: the clash of steel, screams of pain, sound of combat and death. She closed her eyes, head dipping at each blow, her hands shot up to her ears. Not wanting to hear any of it. No, Sheogorath be damned, she had to _do_ something! In a flash she was up and stumbling down the sharp incline of the stone tunnel, her sands slapped loudly on the white stone.

She found herself first in a hallway, depression like stone windows marked the only changes in stone with pillars lining descending short stairwells. She moved down the right turn to the pillars there and dropped down the side of the stairs directly to the door on her left. Already open, she ran down the short enclosed hall, shouting! She had to be in time, she had to do something! Her body froze, shock straitening her tail as the hall opened up into a room, large, corners hidden in shadow; a stairwell directly in front of her led down to an open expanse with a another tunnel and doorway. The stairs were flanked on either side by a pillar, a raised platform and then another pillar. The Blades stood with swords drawn, "Are you alright, Sire? We're clear, for now." Baurus said calmly. Her eyes darted around the room, seeking, unable to see the shapes before her. She knew they were bodies, but, she didn't _see_ them. The stone floor buckled, shadowed hills, red robes… but there… one among them…

"Captain Renault?" The Emperors sad voice droned again.

"She's dead." The words struck her like an armor; she was too late. "I'm sorry, sire, but we have to keep moving."

"How could they be waiting for us here?" Glenroy spat, wiping a red gleam from his sword. She knew what it all was, should have expected it, but to actually see it. Her knees shook, threatening to give out as her head swam.

" I don't know, but it's too late to go back now." Baurus's calm voice punctured her ears, unusuall in the reality of the… the _dead people_ before her. "Don't worry, sire, we will get you out of here."

"They won't be the first to underestimate the Blades." Glenroy said authoritatively, picking up command where his Captain now fell. "I'll take point. Let's move."

She sank, slowly to the ground, feeling the room push her down. The body in front of her came closer… and suddenly she was hit by a horrible stench. Was this, death? Her jaw hung limply as she dimly realized the body, in death, had soiled itself. The bowels simply released. Reality, it was reality there in front of her and she felt her own bladder give out as her hands began to tremble. Yet she knew, _knew_ what was coming next, and the determination from earlier had not stopped in her heart. Strong she drew herself up, but it was a strength of desperation. She did not want to die. She stepped over the body, down the stairs the Emperor and Blades were already descending. She came upon the last, Baurus, who turned to her and halted her physically; the jolt from his strong arm sending the wind from her and jogging her shoulder. "You stay here, Prisoner. Don't try to follow us."

The sudden but unintentional pain loosed the tears from her eyes, and a coughing sob wrenched her throat as her stomach emptied. That blow, light even as it was had –like the Emperor's touch before- fully brought her into the reality of the world around her. Before she knew it, he had turned from her and moved through a door and soundly locked behind them. Her eyes grew in fear, she could already hear them _scratching_. There, to her right, behind the white stone, smelling the reek of death and refuse… claws and teeth gnawed upon the stone. There in the dark, though it was a robust darkness like full moonlight thanks to her enhanced vision, she watched the wall captivated. The clawing grew more furious, scratching, and shrill blood thirsty screeches. Her ears perked forward and her heart felt numb. She, she couldn't stay there. The gnawing grew louder, closer. She had to move. She knew what was behind those stones, knew they would come through any moment, and she wouldn't be able to get past them. The door was locked. Scracthing, scratching, closer, closer! Move, _Move, MOVE!_ A loosened stone crumbled forward.

Heart pounding her hands lurched her body forward, torso heavy but not nearly as leaden as her legs. She half dragged herself to standing, driven by the sound of another stone falling fro the wall. Rabid sniffing, and the clawing intensified, hunger shrill squeaks. She bashed her elbows against the stone, wrists held upwards as she moved towards her only safety. Captain Renault, body crumbled along the stairs, beautiful pale skin stained red… unblinking eyes- her hands moved forward to touch the hilt of the Katana, wrapping around it like holding a base ball bat. Wait, there was also, something else yes! Among the bodies! She recalled one had a potion, a healing potion! Half forgotten her right hand left the hilt of the sword as she threw herself toward the nearest red robed body. Where were the pockets? Where-? She halted as her right hand dug beneath a fold, not because she had discovered the glass neck of what she sought… but because the scratching had stopped. Slowly, breath held tight in her chest, she turned to look at the bottom of the stairs. Black spheres. Tiny curious glass marbles peered up at her... and blood caked mouths full of inch long teeth. Rats. Rats the size of dogs.

Two of them stared up at her, breathing steadily, weaving their heads back and fourth; pink noses, like a human finger tapping the air, surrounded by jutting whiskers. She was frozen, starring at them and they her… one uttered a tense grinding chirp between its teeth and bent to leap. In a flash she felt her legs kicking her up the stairs, the brown creature with ragged fur cleared the first few with ease, giving chase without uttering a single sound. Only its claws and her panicked screams echoed through the room. Again the large animal leaped, teeth bared in a furious squeal, _barely_ missing her heel as she landed hard on an oval platform in-between the pillars that was both higher than the level entrance into the room and the stairs themselves. She had climbed to the head of the stairs and leaped in-between the pillars, a three foot gap between her and the rats, but she knew this was the real world now and they could jump too. Her feet pounded and she leaped again, desperately, legs spread as she through herself into the void, knowing the layout even in darkness.

As her body fell into black space, her extended foot jarred hard on unseen floor despite her vision, buckling beneath her and slamming her knee and forearms painfully into sold stone. She was unused to seeing in the dark and wasn't able to focus nor prepare. Her fur spared her from scrapes but the numb jolting pain had made her joints feel like they all popped at once. The wind was knocked from her and she could do little more than roll to her side and groan involuntarily. Blind panic ripped her head back upwards as she checked to see if the Rats would be intelligent enough to try what she had. To her horror, both stared at her from the platform she had just vacated, reaching with bobbing heads as if trying to figure out the distance. They leaned terrifyingly, as if about to attempt it…! Then one slipped, and fell to the floor below. The other looked down upon it, then back to the shadow, again bobbing its head, shuffling side to side, but it didn't try the leap. It was only when she realized her hands were clutched into fists she remembered the Katana, laying on the ground where she had dropped it. She curled up then, as far from it as possible, taking shallow breaths. Everything hurt, her pants stank of cat piss, and heart was beating harder than she had ever felt it.

This was a nightmare, now that it was real, now that the consequences were pain. She couldn't face it, could even dream it. It was a horrible horrible nightmare, and it was only the Tutorial. She knew full well what lay ahead of her and it was far worse; she was cornered by two rats, just two rats, and couldn't move- even now the horrid thing on the opposite side of the room danced on the edge, always threatening to try the jump. She did not know what she would do if it did. Its teeth and claws would cut through stone, details easy to ignore when the only damage they did to her character was measured in numbers and easily hea- the idea hit her. She was, in this world now, a reality to her… but did that mean, _all_ of it was? What about, _magic_? Warily she turned to look at the Rat still deciding whether or not it should pursue; she curled her legs and looked down at her palm. Her body was blue in the darkness, but she could clearly see the dirty palm of her hand. Was magic real here too? She knew, each character started with two spells and each race had special abilities. Did she then have these?

But there was no menus, no interface, no informative pop ups on her screen, she onl- her mind again when to the bag on her side. This item wasn't in the game but it… desperately she slammed her hand into it and dug, her heart leaped as it came to rest on a slim book. Pulling out the worn volume she saw it was a journal of some kind, with tabs, and her own hand writing. The oddity of it all hardly touched her as she flipped it open. There it was, all her information. Scrawled in her own hand, the things she had on, the weight and cost, as well as… yes! There was a tab with the tiny icon she had been praying for, turning to it she found the name of two spells. _Spells_! A heal minor wound caught her attention first, yes, she apparently_ knew a spell_. But how… written in her own words, like some kind of homework, was a mental image and the words she had to think as well as quick instructions on movements- instantly jogging her memory. Holding her right hand out, she thought of a white light coming from her center, flowing through her arm and into the palm of her hand as a white star. Without warning a warmth flowed from her stomach, up her arm, and along her fingertips like someone had splashed hot water on her.

A warm tingle flowed through her body and the ache in her joints seemed distant, the numbness on her forearms and knees softened. The revelation filled her not only with a sudden flash of hope, but a feeling of wellbeing, as if the minor healing had done more than soften her pain… it had reminded her there was good in this world. Excitement began to slowly flow through her, but she did not forget where she was. She stopped mid smile and looked up, the rat was gone. She sighed in relief, perhaps like real animals they could grow bored or give up? True Animal behav- there was a ragged gasp from below. "Naaah, nyaaaaah!" someone cried out, _someone alive_. Quickly she moved to the edge of the rise, the rats were now circling a figure crawling on the floor with a slash wound across his back, a figure in red robes. She couldn't help the gasp which escape her lips; the red robes, like some kind of renaissance wizard were the uniforms of the assassin called the Mythic Dawn, it was they who had attacked and kicked Captain Renault, the Emperors sons, and even now had tried to kill the Emperor himself. She new they would also try to kill her most of all in the future. Yet here, now, one was helpless and still alive.

Again the rat leaped, digging its wicked teeth and claws into the left arm of the assassin who desperately tried to fling it off and crawl away on his bleeding back. "Ahhh! AhHhh!" his screams of pain and fear hurt her ears, and the moral question of whether or not to save an assassin didn't enter her mind. Instantly she could only think of helping him somehow, somehow getting the rat off of him. She flipped open her book, even as the man continued to scream and slap at the animal's head with his fist! Where, where! What was it! What was it! She found the page, read the words and drew her left hand across her chest to her right side like she was pulling a gun. She felt the warmth race from her stomach to her palm and the heat licked at her hand, she flung it forward- half in intent and half in instinct to get it away from her. The flare shoot forward with a hum, burning through the air like a burning rock. It struck the side of the rat still circling, engulfing it in flames as it squealed and fell to the side. Twitching it clawed the air and emptied its stomach before writhing in agony. The sight made her sick, but she couldn't shoot at the other, in fear of hitting the man. The other rat had turned however to its companion in confusion.

"Sword! Get the sword!" she called down to him; she had meant the Katana, but remembered she had dropped it at the top of the stairs. Yet still, Captain Renault had a short sword belted onto her waist as well and her body was just apart from him on the stairs themselves, but, he would have to get past the rat to get it!

He flailed his other arm uselessly, still crawling away from the rat and away from the sword. "Help me, Mara please!" he begged. She felt her heart hammer inside of her, the rat tapped its pink nose at its now still companion, but returned its attention to the struggling man when he called to her. It advanced again, this time viciously biting into the leather of his booth. He screamed again, and tried to kick it off with his other leg- she, she didn't know what she was doing as she jumped down. Her arm short forward as she ran up to the rat, slamming her palm into it as the words came into her mind. A burning ball of fire slammed into it and singed her hand as well. The creature squealed as it released, bouncing away like a comical ball of fire before also emptying itself and rolling in agony. She breathed in deep gasps of air as she shook her hand, still hot from where she had been too close to the fire. She flicked her eyes to the wounded assassin, now bleeding profusely and laying still. She ran to Captain Renault and ripped the short word from her waist, running back to him.

But, the animal was done. It lay in a heap of burnt, stinking hair, a charred lump. She waved the end of the short blade before her, confused almost as to why it was over so quickly. She turned to the hole incase the battle had attracted attention, nothing waited there, her eyes flew back to the prone man. His red robes darkened around his sides and arms, mouth hung open listlessly, but he was still breathing. She remembered herself, and the point of her sword went to him, but he made no move or recognition of it. Instead he simply lay breathing, as if he was… _dieing_. She knelt down to him, her surge of fear forgotten by the horror of the actuality, she had seen dead, she had killed, but at this very moment, someone was dieing before her eyes. Her mind flashed to the healing magis she knew, but it was only able to work on herself. She had nothing to give to him, she- the potion! Her mind flashed back to the potion she knew one of them was carrying, but where? She turned back to the red robed bodies, but a sudden sob so startled her she dropped her short sword.

The red robed man was crying, pale ashen face now wet with tears. She was stuck to the spot, mind blank and overwhelmed by the tragedy of it. "Don't cry!" she blurted, "There's, there is a potion someone was carrying, a healing potion, if I can find it, I know I'll stop the bleeding! You'll be alright!" she said desperately, once more beginning to turn away. His free hand moved slowly downward- toward the short sword! She jumped back snatching it from his reach and pointing it at him in horror!- but his hand continued into an unseen fold, bringing out a slim pink bottle. Her breath caught as she saw him try to lift it, dragging it up his body weakly, other arm useless at his side. She watched in blank fascination as his hand shook, the bottle tipped, and then slipped from his gloved grasp. It rolled down his leg and onto the floor, rattling glass against stone, and coming directly to a stop at her foot. The dieing man looked at it, numbly, then up at her sword… and his hand slacked to the other side. He stopped crying.

"Of course." he said barely and remained still.

She felt her hands tremble around the sword hilt, watched his chest rise and fall slower and slower, eyes starring at nothing. He had given up. Why did she feel bad for him? Why did she feel sorry? He was an assassin, and if she had chosen to go with the guards earlier he would have been right there along side the others trying to kill her. He was the bad guy. The term, slapped her; bad guy? This was real now, there were no bad guys, only people… and this person, no matter who or what he was, was dieing in front of her and the way to save him was at her feet. Her ears felt hot as she realized what she knew she had to do. Cautiously she bent down to pick up the bottle and came over to him, kneeling she tilted his head back with her fist, still holding the sword and held the bottle over his open mouth. His eyes closed as she did so, without word… but nothing came out. She felt a jolt of fear, _was it empty!_ But was mollified to realize she hadn't uncorked it. Swiftly she did and then again tipped the glass, in her haste spilling it like a ketchup over a burger. Still the pink liquid flowed into his mouth and down the corners, and his throat gulped it greedily yet weakly.

She watched in fascination as color immediately returned to his skin, and his breathing became sure, but was completely baffled when he began crying again. "What is it, does it still hurt?" she said in true concern.

"No… no…" he wept, "It was for her." he lifted his other hand weakly, pointing, at Captain Renault. None of the confusion lessened for her.

"I'm, sorry, she's dead." She heard her voice said softly but in turn she felt an outrage build in her, "If you didn't want her dead why did you kill her?"

He shook his head from side to side, "She couldn't take on two of them! When, when she fell I went to her, I was going to giver her the potion, I carried it, I carried it just in case they didn't stop them! Oh Mara, I tried to get it to her, but they other Blades, they saw me reaching into my robes and struck me down. I couldn't save her." His fists clutched weakly and his chin shivered. Suddenly he brought his hands up to his face, startling her and making her jump back as he ground his palms into his eyes! "I tried, tried to warn them, shouted about Lord Dagon, gave away our position, tried to get in their way, I couldn't go through with it! I'm not a murderer! Oh Mara help me!"

He wept openly, pathetically, and inside she couldn't fear him anymore. He wasn't an assassin, he was a coward probably bullied into going along with this mission… but, "Then why did you join the Mythic Dawn in the first place!" she accused him angrily.

"I never wanted this!" he threw back at her, motioning wildly to all the blood and death, "I wanted to be a legionnaire, but I failed the physical exam and became, became a fletching beggar! They promised me paradise! Paradise! And all I had to do was wear a red robe and clean up. Dishes, sweeping, that's it!"

"You were a servant?" she screwed up her face.

"Better servant than sacrifice! They took me from the water front, told me to join or die! But, and I was happy, I had a roof over my head and food! Better than a bed roll outside the city where the rats or vampires or wolves…" he shook violently, "but then they planned all of this! They needed every available member, I was put with the others as the first attack, they didn't expect any of us to survive against blades, just weaken them! Oh Mara please believe me, I never wanted any of this!" suddenly he ripped away his hood, revealing a face which shook her to her very sole. His face… realistic now and full of life was familiar beyond reason, how many hours had she starred at the character customization screen? How many times had she reset and retried just trying to get the lips right? Yet there he was, in every single detail, hair parted in a brown pony tail. Low brow and slightly arched eyebrows over brown eyes. The classic Imperial face.

"You're Paulus…" she said in absolute wonder.

"What?" he looked up at her in fear, "How did... you know my name?"

"Imperials… have roman sounding names…" she said distantly, but quickly shot her hands up to her mouth. "I mean, I've seen you before, um, in Chorrol…"

"Oh." He looked at her and then bowed his head, "I haven't been home in ages." That was her back story for him; a failed legionnaire from Chorrol, too fat to pass the exam, had turned into a beggar in the Imperial city and provided the platform for her to follow through every story line with one character… but she had never meant for him to ever come to this. Wait. Why was he here? Why was he part of the Mythic Dawn? She _created_ him. How could he be in this wor- it stuck her then as he began weeping again. He was here, just like she was; he was supposed to be the prisoner and follow the story through, but she had been put in his place by the Mad god. It was his destiny to play this story out, but instead of controlling him from behind the screen, she was there with him. There, as she stood over her own creation, she felt a unique sense of responsibility and guilt. She had made him a coward, so it would be easier for her to rationalize all the twists and character turns he would take in following every single story line.

She had made a weakling, and right now before her, she had become responsible for his life. "Your life is in my hands…" she said beneath her breath. He looked up to her in confusion, she quickly corrected. "I mean I saved you."

He brought his un-tattered sleeve up and wiped his face. "You did…" he said, then breathed in a deep gulp of air. "You did, yes, you, you saved my life… Th-thank you." She felt another unique emotion, being praised by someone she had made. "I don't, know how I can repay you…"

She nearly leaped upon him, "Listen, I have to, I have to um, get out of here. I'm not very good at fighting though, just like you, but there seems to be a passage out of here through that wall, so, if we, if we go together I'm sure we can get through. You, tried to be a guard right? And you're an Imperial right? So, you know about um, heavy armor and swords and things right?"

He looked at her strangely, digging her hands into his arm. "Yeah, I know a little…" he said cautiously.

"Good, then first of all you can help me get out of here."

He looked at her slightly frightened, licking his lips nervously. His eyes darted to the short sword she still held in her lap. She followed his gaze, and then slowly offered it to him. Again he looked back to her, uncertain and still afraid… but eventually he reached out and tentatively took it. "But, what will you use?"

She grinned at him and stood, moving up the stairs carefully she collected the Katana. "We can do it." She said proudly as he too stood, and in herself he began to feel those words might just be true after all.

"Are, are you going to take her armor?" he said not looking at the body his hand motioned to. A sickening roll of her stomach made her shake her head violently.

"We won't nee- I mean, I won't, do it. We'll find something I'm sure of it!" she had to be careful, if she tried to alter to story with her foreknowledge things could get very bad. She knew what she had to do, and now it was merely about trying to do it. But. At least now, she wasn't alone.


	6. Chapter two: The Lost Cavern

**Chapter Two: The lost Cavern**

She had been right of course. Entering the hole in the wall revealed a cavern seemingly naturally carved by years of rats gnawing and clawing to make rooms for nests, yet there was also a crude door at the far end and further a well to the far right of the darkened gloom. Yes, someone had drilled a well, installed the stone structure and other such things took advantage of it. Revealed by the appearance of a limp green body by the door; a Goblin. The creature had the same general appearance of a man with elongated arms, deep green skin and ragged clothes bespeaking of some culture. The pair moved cautiously into the opening, her eyes much more suited to the darkness, but there was just enough light to keep her in sight as he followed. A shaft of light came not only from the well, but more so a hole in the ceiling to the far left… were rested a long decayed skeleton of perhaps a thief who once had tried to break into the Imperial prison, or had used the dug out well chamber as a hiding place. The appearance of Goblins and Rats must have been very bad for his business indeed. The main key however, was the skeleton wore armor.

Slowly she moved over to it. The bones were long ago picked clean, so there was no outright gore to worry for, yet the prospect itself of taking from the dead… the armor itself was simply rough leather, a Cuirass and Boots. Sewn and molded into conforming with the wears chest and calf under the knee. Like a kind of pull over shirt one slipped over the head with the thickness and hardness of many layers of hide. She immediately took to pulling out the bow from its left hand and slipping the quiver of arrows form behind its back. Whoever he was, if it even was a he, he at least wouldn't need the weapons. The bow was simple enough, an iron bar melded into a bow shape, pock marked as pure iron usually was in appearance with leather wrap for the hand guard. The string itself was leather and looked no worse for wear despite the damp atmosphere. She looked to the former Mythic Dawn assassin behind her. "Have you any skill with a bow?" He shrugged plaintively. Well… what better time to learn. The mechanics were simple enough: arrows goes on string, pull string back, let string go and arrow goes.

Experimentally she aimed an arrow at the far bucket hanging from the well. Pulling back she could feel the strong resistance sapping her strength, she let go prematurely, snapping the string painfully into the back of her thumb but sending the arrow sailing true. Apparently she was a natural, the arrow hit the bucket- askance- but hitting none the less. She could feel rust falling through her finger tips through. She nodded to her self and strapped the quiver over her shoulder, then tucked the bow neatly inside it. Once more she picked up the Katana and looked again at the leather armor. Her mind worked quickly as she tried to recall everything in the chambers beyond… "Look, I can't… you should, take this stuff." She turned to him finally, motioning at the rough leather armor.

"But I've never worn leather armor…" he looked somewhat sick.

"Listen, I can heal myself; barely, but more than you. You are still injured and can't see as well as I can in the dark. You need this more than I right now." He looked at her strangely, the light from the above room casting dim shadows on his face. "Just trust me. I saved your life remember?"

He considered a moment, then sighed in defeat. Carefully he pulled the boots off, dumping the bones out with a near gag, and then attempted the same with the Cuirass. The bones were severely disturbed from this, but nether of them could felt the need to rearrange them… Gingerly he slipped the whole of the armor over his head, crumbling his tattered reb robes beneath it. She watched his struggle with it, doing his best to ignore the stench, and then sit on the ground to pull on the boots. He took off his robe slippers, padded for silence and disgustedly shoved his feet inside. Curiously, she picked up the discarded shoes and sat down herself. He watched her doing so but didn't question her. She slipped off the sandals she wore, little more than a leather strip with strings and slid on the slippers. They were small, tight, but better than nothing and warm. She nodded to herself over the novelty. He meanwhile, turned his attention to the sack beside the bandit and the chest. He wholly lifted the dirty white bag, opening it to pull out what appeared to be a lockpick; a long hooked piece of iron.

Thumbing the metal hook h tucked the sac under his belt, and looked to the chest. The skull beside them grinned on without protest. "Should we?" he motioned. She looked at the metal wire, then at the iron lock on the chest, but a thought hit her. In the game she would have had to use the lock pick… but if this was real. With a sudden strike she slammed the butt of Captain Renaults Katana against the rusted iron latch, snapping it off easily. The violence of it felt satisfying after so many times breaking lockpicks in the mini game it had take to open some chests. Interested, she opened the lid to reveal ten gold coins and a blue gem; a sapphire.

"Beautiful…" she marveled at it through the light, wondering at the sparkles and depths to the cutting of it. She had never seen a gem of this size, hardly fitting in her fist.

"This should get us some food when we get out." Her companion said happily, scooping up the coins and placing them in the sack he now carried.

She looked to him, forgetting in her awe that she hadn't eaten. Her stomach soon reminded her of that but with all that had been going on, she hadn't felt hungry in the lightest… not to mention the still acidic stench of her own urine. If she remembered correctly though, there was more ahead… she shifted he weight to her other heel and startled when the floor beneath her creaked. Hurriedly stuffing the Sapphire into her pouch, she stepped aside to reveal a oval of leather, the length and width of knee cap to shoulder. A leather shield, it looked like an insect shell with metal studs riveting the layers together. She pulled it from the dirt and dusted it off. "Should, I take that too?" he worked his jaw in uncertainty.

"No, I'll carry it for a while. I'll go first, I can see better and I think we'll get along far better if we sneak out."

"Sneak?" he scrunched up his face, "I don't know how to sneak."

She smiled despite herself, but then the notion struck her as well. It wasn't a game mechanic with a simple button press this time, she would actually have to do it. She crouched again; squatting like this played hell on her knees and thighs, "Well…" she slung the leather shield over her left shoulder, her arm slipping through the handle like a tight purse. "You just…" awkwardly she tried to step forward, the odd sensation of her tail balancing out behind her made her over balance and she fell to her hands. Embarrassed she tried to make it look natural by using the stable position to shift her weight to her arms and reach out her leg, dipping it onto the ground as silently as possible.

"Ooooh." He echoed, and before she could say anything he too went to hands and heels, crawling like a monkey. The position was so, strange and situation so odd, she couldn't help the hysterical giggle that rolled out of her throat. Unknown to her, his face was burning. "I know I'm not as graceful as a Khajiit but I'm trying damn it!"

Immediately she felt bad for her inconsiderate laugh, but it was, still just too funny to watch. "I'm sorry, I can't help it, I'm scared." she covered her chuckle.

"Well, oh, okay, I see…" he said now embarrassed himself. "This really work?"

"Well, I think it's working and we need to be stealthy as possible if there are goblins in the area, not to mention more rats."

"Goblins!" his voice shot up. Then she realized he hadn't seen the body by the door.

"Don't panic, it's dead, but there is a Goblin by the door over there. Follow me." She said authoritatively, trying to emulate a ship captain. Gingerly he followed, again on hands and heels. They made their way to the far end of the soft dirt cavern and to the corpse strewn across falling bricks. "See? It's dead." He looked sick again, or perhaps it was just because he was blue in her eyes in the dark. She then took the time, though the smell of the rotting creature was over powering, to pull from its belt two rolls of paper, a slim pink bottle and an iron key. The faded label on the bottle showed it was a 'Potion of Sorcery' which would restore some 'magica' if drank. She didn't know it had an expiration date, but it would be handy to have, she stuffed this into her pouch as well. The scrolls were decayed and stained a hard yellow, but the writing of the command words suggested one was a 'Flash Bolt' spell and the other a 'Chameleon' spell. Nodding to herself, she stuffed these into her pouch too. She had a distinct urge to look at her journal and flipped to the many pages in the bag for her items lists, to her surprise, it had updated itself with the contents of her items. It must have been enchanted somehow.

She thumbed through the pages before the Imperial cleared his throat. "I don't, really want to rush, or um, face anymore rats and goblins… but I don't want to stay here either… more Mythic Dawn could show up any moment." he said carefully.

Startled she had forgotten the situation she immediately placed the journal back into her bag, "You're right we should get out of here."

"So, do we, try to climb up that hole by the thief or maybe climb the well rope?" he offered.

The suggestion stuck her, she was fully prepared to simply go through the wooden door, but now that she thought of it, the hole had to lead somewhere and the well was more promising, especially if daylight shined down upon them. However, her heart sank, "The well probably leads to the Imperial prison, if they see me in prison clothes and you in… well… we won't be getting out that way."

He nodded sagely, "What about the thief hole?"

She turned back to it, the eerier light from above and stone work resembled the Imperial stone itself. "I'm, not sure where it leads… but it is safe to assume it heads up into the prison too, and, well…" she couldn't say if she tried it they may incur the wrath of the mad god…

"We might run into the Mythic Dawn… yeah…" he finished for her. "So through the door then…" he sighed in defeat.

She sighed as well, in slight relief, she would never have thought to try the alternate routes but the danger that existed there was far worse than rats and mere goblins, especially if they were prepared. Firmly she gripped her right fist; she could still feel the heat from her last fire ball, or as the spell was called correct in her mind, Flare. If they continued to sneak, and she continued to pick off the Rats she knew were to be ahead with her night visions and flares, they would make it without a scratch more. "Alright, let's go." Passing through the door, which the Iron key unlocked, they found themselves in another dirt cavern. Sparsely split with stone work columns, supports for whatever was above, and rats... a lot of rats. On hands and heels they paused as she lined up her shots, shooting- like a flare gun- one after another as they followed the curve of the tunnel. The whole of it split in three rooms, each connected by a left curving tunnel. The first room was more pillars and dirt, but what caught her interest was the chest on the far right.

Blasting the not so intimidating creatures, from a _good_ distance, with fire was a little easier than trying to stab them. It also felt strangely relaxing. She began to feel a sense of control, and in that, confidence. Without pause she struck at the lock again, snapping it after unknown years of decay to reveal the true prize she had kept in mind for herself. A few loose arrows, a beautiful potion of healing which she handed to her new friend –which he decided to save just in case- and most importantly. A pair of leather pants with sewn iron plates. "Hey, heavy armor, that's lucky!" he said behind her. She made no comment as she pulled the rusting jumble from the chest, holding the heavy garment up with pride. Moving beside her, he pulled out its companion, an Iron Curiass; like something from a classic knight's tale; a bubble chest place with loosely tied on Pauldrons, or shoulder guards, and a pinched plate skirt sewn to the bottom. It was completely rusted and looked more brown than grey, but the metal was still solid. She was more concerned with the greaves however, leather pants with three overlapping metal plates as thigh guards were all well and good… but a new pair of _pants_ was exactly what she needed, badly, right now.

Excitedly she stood and reached for her waist, but then her hands froze at the draw string of her cotton pants. Her head slowly turned to look at her companion; her _male_ companion. He looked at her blankly, then suddenly his face darkened in her blue vision. "Oh r-right, sorry." Stoically he turned his head, and his back. Thankfully, yet still cautiously, she moved slightly away and turned her own back- with her ears facing him flatly- and slipped quickly out of the sack cloth pants which were little thicker than burlap and nearly as rough. She disregarded her lack of under garments, and used the side legs of the cloth to wide as through as she could before gratefully slipping the heavy leather pants on. The weight was certainly new and her knees did not thank her for it, but the feeling of security and dryness was well worth it. Sighing in deep relief she turned back to her companion, who was still dutifully turned around and holding the Iron chest plate.

"Thank you." she said.

"Well, what do you want to do with this?" he turned around carefully, holding out the breast plate.

She smiled and reached for it, "I guess I'll use it tooooo-wow that's heavy!" she gasped as the whole of it thudded to the ground.

"Of course it is, it's iron." He furrowed his brow.

"Yeah But I never considered just how heavy it would really feel!" she jumped in place then, "I mean, I've never worn it before."

"I'd think not, it's common but still expensive, should we leave it behind?"

She frowned to herself, "No, you have full leather I should have full iron… since we have this now…"

He gave her another funny look, "Does it really matter? Here." He then squirmed and shifted until the leather armor finally came off completely. "You take this then, and I'll wear this if it makes you feel better."

She didn't realize she was biting her thumb, carried away in trying to complete a full set of armor? She was a completionist but that didn't matter right now! It was life and death! Real life and death! "Right, um, sorry."

Quickly she slipped the leather jacket over her head, her nose was overwhelmed with his smell, his sweat, blood, and body heat- which was far better than the smell of the skeleton at least… actually… it wasn't so bad… As she slipped the tight armor on it rippled and conformed to her proportions, slipping almost like a Chinese finger trap or other woven material giving her armor a defined chest. She was slightly embarrassed by the closeness, but his sliding into the iron shell over his tattered robes made more send in the long run. It was still heavy for him but he seemed to be able to handle it, and above all they would need the protection if they came across goblins… which she knew they would. "Wow, this is heavy, I've always seen those fight guild types strutting around so casually, it looked easy." He moaned.

"We'll find more ahead." She said offhandedly.

"Huh?"

"If we look, right?" she corrected, "if whoever was using this as storage for some armor and stuff, there will likely be more right?"

"I don't know, It is possible." He said sitting to rest under the weight.

"Good, let's go." They did indeed find more ahead as she knew they would, traveling in the general curve of the tunnel they came upon a wide open room with another break in the ceiling, a great deal of bones, and loose pieces of armor. She used her leather shield to fend off any Rats who surprised them, and then used her Flare to finish them. It was relatively easy if she got them squarely with it, sometimes she only scathed them and the she would need to literally hide behind her shield as the enraged animal body checked her. Her companion was helpful in that regard then, use the short sword to finish the creature off with clumsy but still helpful stabs and slashes. In the chamber they found an Iron helmet, for him, and an Iron shield. He was now decently armored but far slower thanks to all the extra weight. None the less, she was still able to 'sneak' with him lagging behind and catch any threats of Rats until they reached the end of the curve… another wooden door, and human skulls hanging from rope lines, but worse… a fire created to ward off the rats from the door which was still burning, meaning whatever had made was still nearby.

Her companion turned a shade of green and she herself felt suddenly frightened again, apprehension like a cold snake winding though her chest. It was all well and good to pick off large rats from a distance and the occasional slam… but to fight something, intelligence, sentient… alive and armed… it was, like fighting a person who wanted nothing more than to kill and… and probably eat you. None the less, she knew the chamber ahead well and they had to cross it if they ever wished to get out. She hesitated though, before that door… wondering about her companion. How much should she, how much _could_ she tell him? to prepare him? He waited patently, again sitting down to rest. By now her legs were tired and threatening to charlie horse on her, she couldn't imagine how he must have felt. "Look… I think it's safe to assume we're going to find Goblins ahead." She said slowly, carefully, "So… I need you to sneak like I am as best as you can, but, keep, a um… five foot distance between us. I'll motioning you to follow if it's clear, or um, hold up fingers to indicate how many I see."

"If you see them." He frowned, "They might ambush us."

She frowned to herself, "I'm, a… uh, pretty good scout." She chanced, "I can understand layout pretty quickly, and you know, visualize and memorize the route of things… if it gets bad, we can retreat back to this door… uh, bottle neck them and er, pepper them with arrows." Her ship captain impression wasn't going very well, though she tried to sound confident, she was still frightened of actual confrontation. It was a certainty though, she even knew exactly how many of them there were ahead. Luckily, she also knew how to take care of at least a few of them without any actual fighting… but, there was always the chance it wouldn't work; it wasn't going to follow the script of a video game after all… not with, _him_ anyway. "Alright, so, stay behind me… here we go." He nodded in confirmation and crouched to follow, tying his shield to his lower back by his robe belt. It scraped together like, well, iron, but if he stood still he made no noise. Slowly the entered the door, fining yet another cavern, but this time there were no pillars of stone work, it was a pure dug out cavern. Dirt and rock, all close, and the smell of burning rat. Carefully she sifted her weight from hands to heels, and moved carefully, thankful it was too dark for him to see more than her shape ahead of him.

She must have looked ridiculous.

She continued on this way around a free standing pillar of stone, and sniffed the air experimentally… the live goblins smelled worse than the dead ones. Ahead of her, she saw it; stalking away, shambling almost, around the bend to a small crate on its left. It looked like a very thin old man with a Halloween mask on. Yet it grumbled and scrapped its teeth together, high pitched like a tiny monkey. Gangly limbs waved beside it as it squatted by a fire with a rat harpooned on a spit. She nearly gagged when she got closer, but she knew, this one… this one she couldn't just sneak by, not if she wanted her companion to follow… this one at least, _this _one, she had to kill. But, that was okay wasn't it? It was a creature, not a person, though it dressed and acted like a person… it was… just a creature. Before her, on the crate she saw was she had expected to see. Some clippings of plants, a bowl with a flat wooden wedge for grinding, and a slim bottle filled with a green liquid. Poison. The creature was capable of mixing poisons. Meaning it had a basic knowledge of plants… a primitive chemist. How could she not consider it a person? Oh, right, it would try to kill her if it saw her. There was that.

A shiver rippled across her back, making her breath catch . It still had its back to them, but she had to do what she had to do. Carefully, she crept forward, shifting, sliding through the air at an agonizing crawl. In front of her the squatting creature ripped a still dripping hunk from the rat and stuffed the greasy flesh into its mouth, savoring every bite. It chewed and swallowed noisily. Making her own stomach turn and at the same time remind her she hadn't eaten anything either. Was rat really different from any other meat? Nearly heaving made her that contented point of argument decidedly moot. Her goal in sight she reached from her place of crouching with her finger tips stretched as far as they would good, tip, tipping, she grasped the top of the bottle and lifted it into her hands. Poison, in the game it had been a minor status effect that wore off quickly… was that true in the real world too? Slowly she shifted back from the campfire light, letting her tail balance without thought as she gingerly stepped away into the very far wall.

Her companion had watched her, his eyes slightly use to the glow of the fire, barely breathing as she sat on the ground in silence. Quickly she uncorked the bottle and dipped an arrow in. Unlike the game, it didn't use all of it. She handed her companion her quiver and motioned for him to dip more arrows and hand them to her, then she set her bow and leveled the already poisoned arrow at the back of the creature still messily enjoying its meal, she pulled back. All… all she had to do… was let go. There it was, before her, the squatting back of a person… a thing which could think, breathe, a living being that was only do the best it could. Like a tiger in India; it wasn't its fault it had to eat like everything else, it wasn't its fault it had to scrape by in a world dominated by things smarter than it. What if Goblins had been the rulers of the world? What if Goblins and not men had grown to build the city? She was Khajiit, though in her mind still human, was she really any different than this creature green of skin an- it turned its head to look directly at her. Her finger slipped before she knew what was happening. With a short 'tap' the arrow pierced the startled Goblin whose jaw dropped as it looked down at the shaft protruding from its side.

She was just as surprised as the Goblin and it took the next poison arrow shoved into her hands to make her realize what she had done. She fumbled, the arrow fell into the dirt, the Goblin looked up at her incredulously, its black eyes turned sharp and it stood raising a wicked and rusted looking iron dagger. With a intake of breath to scream warning, she didn't know how she got the other arrow up and shooting again- she had only seen the dagger gleam in the fire light and blind fear had propelled her. The next arrow landed soundly in its sternum, robbing it of the breath it was going to use to scream, instead it released a dull hiss of further surprise and fury… the dagger fell from its hand as it collapsed down to its side raking the air with its grubby grease covered claws. Before she knew it, it was over. The creature squirmed, making short gasps, and crawling in the dirt. She stared in confusion at these actions, not really understanding why it was acting like that. Her mind, simply didn't register the two shafts sticking out of it, nor the bow in her own hands… someone shook her, someone called to her in a rapid whisper. Then a body moved forward.

She blinked, unable to comprehend why her companion was rushing forward with a great scraping of metal to bring his short blade down into the fallen creature. Why was he doing that? His hand came up, then down again, up then down again… and the Goblin lay still. That was a silly thing to do. Why would he do that? She felt the corners of her mouth rise, her brown furrowing even as her eyes felt terribly dry. She was retching suddenly, though she hadn't eaten any rat. She got some on the top of her hands, digging into the dirt and shaking, she heaved again. Painful pushes, making her eyes squeeze shut and her tongue lull out. Disgusting, it was disgusting, why was she doing this? Why was she even here? She recalled a piece of music from that time she was sitting in the kitchen, a piano of some kind. It floated, like a gentle bee around the green peeled apples in the sink. They always came in during the summer, but if she didn't bother them they didn't bother her. A hard pain across the side of her face. Did the bee sting he- she was sitting in front of Paulus the Imperial. The character she had made, gripping her shoulders, his face hard, but his eyes worried. Why was she being held so tightly in his arms?

"Listen to me, you can't go out on me like that, you're scaring me! I need you to get out of here! Please don't!" he was saying. What an odd… her face hurt. She had just killed another person. _Oh god_. Before she knew it her face was buried into the curled cloth of his hood around his neck, the stink of blood and her own vomit breath as she bit into the cloth to prevent her scream. Her arms folded awkwardly around the metal bubble, aware of her breast pressing hard into the armor, her breath in hard gasps- his surprised warmth of his face. She closed her eyes, and held on. She never wanted this, any of it. She was a kid, just a kid, magic was cool, the game was fun, but being real… being real… she stayed like that in silence for a long while. Uncaring about thoughts, or the future, she simply lost herself in the solidity of another person. The comfort of the embrace, holding onto something real. It was good. This was a good thing, and it was all she had at the moment. That moment stretched on into several, broken finally when her companion could no longer kneel there for her to hold onto. He shifted back onto his backside under the weight of her and his armor.

The jolt startled her and he muttered some kind of apology. It was this very real uncertain reaction that really grounded her. Yes, she had taken life, and that feeling was a cold truth in her stomach as if she had swallowed a snow ball. Was it necessary? Could she have done something different? She couldn't think about it, not with him there, starring at her like she was his only hope. What was she supposed to do… what could she do? Take another step. That was the whole of it, keep taking those steps. Mindlessly she let go, and left the bow and arrows behind. Slowly she walked forward, she just had to keep going… to get back home. She walked forward calmly, distantly, ignoring the sound of scraping iron as her companion tried to get up and hissed words of warning after her. It didn't matter, it didn't matter… one step… and take another. She stopped once, as her foot met resistance. Looking down she noticed the broken line beneath her heel. A rope? Dimly she noted the form crouching in front of her, mouth open and garbling. Three huge shadows moved behind it, falling forward, rough arms grabbed her shoulders and through her to the ground. Like silent swing sets, the gigantic logs with iron spikes sailed over her head, tossing a Goblin body forward like a rag doll.

Someone was on top of her, heavy, very heavy; she looked up. There he was again, that character she had made. A real person, looking at her like she was crazy. But she wasn't crazy. She was in a game world, pulled from reality by a mad god, and capable of doing amazing feats of magic. She wasn't crazy… she stared at the ceiling as it flowed by her. She was drifting, tail scrapping painfully on the stone and dirt, what was happening here? Did it matter? She was dropped, the sound of screeches, falling logs, and someone gasping in panic. Then she was moving again, dragging by her arms painfully… watching the cave mouth rise above her, down the a hill, and past two Goblin corpses under felled logs, crushed, bones jutting through skin and skulls mashed. It looked like a movie prop. Cool. But, smelled like death. She dropped again, head heavy, hurting on the stone floor. Screeching, screaming in panic. The sound of metal against metal, and something wet struck her face. She lifted a hand up to it, the sounds grew dim. Red finger tips. The smell of his blood. Color rushed back to her as she lifted her head, he was, struggling over there. Look at that. He was fighting a Goblin, at the mouth of a big cave… _goblins_.

Her made fell on her like a wet pillow. She bolted upright, hearing the painful slashing and bashing of metal on leather. He cried out in pain, effort, the creature screeched in agony and anger. Four of them, there were four of them trying to push past him through the tunnel mouth. He was holding them back with his shield, all he had, but they slashed at his unprotected legs. He was calling for help. Without thinking, without time for thinking, she through flares over his head. Hitting the Goblins in the face, or eyes. The confusion hit instantly and the one with the shield fell back into its fellows, a Goblin in a dress near the end of the cave was waving a staff back and forth, waiting for a good shot. She ran forward clutching the scroll in her hand from her pouch. She screamed the words in her head even as she felt the paper crumble to dust in her other, "FLASH BOLT!" a ball of fire the size of a human head raced across her vision slamming into the chest of the Shaman, sending it back rolling engulfed in flame. She fired more flared, as the Goblins tried to flee or block them, useless without shields. Their flesh burned, they fell, panics, kicking and clawing each other. She didn't relent, the fire blurred her visions, so she couldn't see what happened to them; so she kept firing, careless of where they went, only shooting again and again.

It was him who finally stopped her, "Stop stop!" he had cried, "You'll burn down the whole cavern!" She froze, looking at him and him alone. "Don't, don't' let me see them." She said distantly, shutting her eyes hard.

"It's, it's done." He said in fear and understanding. "Just, hold my arm, and walk with me." She took his arm and closed her eyes against everything. Feeling nothing as they moved slowly, "Watch it, take a big step." He'd say, but she never looked. Sometimes she bumped something, but she never looked. She heard the squeak and hiss of rats, but she never looked. Slowly they made their way, to her, in darkness. She knew the layout of the room and she knew what was next, what was to come, but none of it mattered because she simply didn't think about it. She just didn't think about it. Her feet stumbled as they moved up a slight incline, her large ears picked up the sound of a door opening, when she heard it shut firmly behind her. Then, only then she opened her eyes.


	7. Chapter Three: Deliver the Amulet

**Chapter Three: Deliver the Amulet**

The first she saw, a small dirt path leading up into a light source, cavern halted abruptly into stone work once more. The imperial stones were pulled away like a puzzle with a hole in the center. Through the hole a four foot drop back into the rooms of featureless but for window like depression rooms again, what was more though, voice echoed off the almost white stonework. "We should find a defensible spot and protect the Emperor until help arrives." Glenroy's familiar hostile tenor.

"Help? What makes you think help will get here before more of those bastards? We need to get the Emperor out of here." And again, Baurus. Her heart leapt into her throat, she knew what was to happen next, but her feet felt as lead. Her companion still held onto her, as if she'd tip over any moment, his face a solid mask of fear and worry. That was when the cries to battle blasted their ears.

"YOU CAN NOT ESCAPE THE MASTER'S VIGILANCE!"

"FOR LORD DAGON!"

"HERE THEY COME AGAIN!" Baurus answered, drawing his sword as two bodies fell upon them from above. Men not dressed in red robes, but black armor and wielding hellish maces and axes. It shined like steel yet looked as if carved by the fingers of demons, patterns and designs like the slick back of an insect and all motifs of destruction or disturbing imagery. Quickly her hands shot up to her large ears and she buried her face into his neck so violently he was shoved into the wall. Still the muffled sounds of metal on metal and distant cries of agony found their way to her, muffled through cotton in a grim surreal song. It was over in a moment that seemed like hours, and it was Baurus voice which again touched her. "I think that was all of them. Let me take a look around."

She didn't move though, though she knew it was expected of her, "Have you seen the prisoner?" Uriel's droning monotone prompted her.

"Do you think she followed us? How could she?" Baurus's voice, pushing.

"I know she did." Uriel's voice was heavy as a stone around her neck.

"Sire, we have to go now." Glenroy added.

"Not yet. Let me rest a moment longer."

"What do we do?" His voice, like a shining hammer through the haze of refused destiny. She looked up to him, those eyes of his, relying solely on her judgment and her will to get them through. It wasn't just expected of her, but of him, and it was her fault for that. No, she remained blameless in her mind for everything that had been thrust upon her, he was merely a product of that. She didn't ask for any of this, so what if she played with a toy the way she wanted too? What gave any of them the right to rip her from her world? Fairness, that was something she hadn't thought about in a long time, especially about games. Games were made so you could win, that was the general point of them, giving you advantages you didn't have in real life to achieve victory. Here, well… she had magic he did not and it had pulled them through. She had knowledge he did not which had also served her well. These things were not stripped from her, but the mechanics of it all, the reality of it all was… almost too harsh. But then. It was just as harsh to him. She realized then, even though his fear and doubt was clears as day on his face, he was going through exactly what she was… but for some reason he wasn't …burdening her with it.

He owed her his life. The clarity of that struck her finally. Not because she had created him and thus damned him to walk by her side in this, but because she could have simply let him die and in her own selfishness and fear of being alone she had saved his life. She had forced him to continue living through this hell, had chose it. Certainly he wanted to live, and did not complain, but she had _known_ what was ahead if he lived. Had known before she had since his face or known his name, there would be hell for him. Yes, she had more of a responsibility than she thought. Even if it was only the right thing, she had set in motion the wheels of fate for his path as well as her own. "We do the right thing." she said finally. With a set jaw she carefully hopped down the stone floor, another raised section about fix feet from the short stair and tunnel the guards and Emperor stood on. She approached the next drop without stealth, knowing they needed to see her coming. She heard her companion clumsily scrape his way down the hole and follow. Next she sat down and pushed herself off the ledge on her right onto the floor where four pillars divided the room and path in-between them led to a tunnel.

Immediately Glenory drew his sword at her armed appearance. "Dammit! It's that prisoner again!" but he didn't advance, nor did Baurus until her companion dropped down beside her… still in his red robes. "Kill her! She might be working with the assassins!" Baurus drew his sword then, and both of them advanced Blades before them, methodical steps on guard. She had forgotten he was still wearing the red though tattered robes, now she quickly stepped back over to help him up and press flat against the wall. Cautiously she drew up her leather shield before her, and her companion followed suit with his own iron-the two guardsmen came within range of a strike!

"No, she is not one of them!" The Emperor boomed, like making a proclamation. "She can help us. She must help us."

Baurus glanced at Glenroy, Glenroy glared at her. He didn't sheath his weapon, nor his murderous sneer for a long moment, making her wonder if he actually would disobey his Emperor orders! When finally, Baurus replaced his own sword, frown ever so slightly, Glenroy followed suit. "As you wish, sire." But the additive of respect was forced through tense teeth. Could she blame him though? He was a killer for the Emperor, a soldier who wanted nothing more than to protect his liege, he had killed an nearly been killed and seen comrades fall before him already. But that didn't mean she had to like him. Slowly, regally, the Emperor came forward. He smiled at her as she lowered her shield, like a grandfather she had never known. Then his eyes slowly shifted to the assassin at her side, still hiding behind his iron shield. Face pale.

"They cannot understand why I trust you. They've not seen what I've seen. How can I explain?" he looked thoughtful for a moment, and she took this time to assure her companion by looking to him and lower his shield with her own hand. He still looked frightened, but allowed her too. "Listen. You know the Nine? How they guide our fates with an invisible hand?"

The idea smacked her right in the face. The Nine! The so called gods of this world, well, the good ones. The Mad God was considered a Daedra, which was the equivalent of demons but the nine were divine beings of mercy, love, and justice. How could she have forgotten? Even her companion, who was supposed to worship the Daedra Dagon, had mentioned Mara- the goddess of mercy. If Sheogorath existed and Azura, then so too did Mara right? So why had they remained silent while the Daedra pulled her into this world? However, she realized then he had been staring at her expectantly. Qucikly she leaped to speak, "I-I don't know, I don't think about it."

"I'm, not on good terms with the gods." Her companion filled in when the Emperor looked his way.

Uriel smiled at them both, despite their answers. "I've served the Nine all my days, and I chart my course by the cycles of the heavens. The skies are marked with numberless sparks each a fire, and every one a sign. I know these stars well, and I wonder…which sign marked your birth?"

She paused in that, she didn't have a clue. She wondered if it would look stupid to reach for her journal, then felt stupid for thinking that. Who cared? Seeing her hesitation however, and to prevent another awkward silence before the Emperor, her companion spoke up first. "Oh, um, The Lover." She looked at him then, incredulously, that hadn't been what she chose for him. She'd always chosen The Lady, did this mean he wasn't her creation? Or maybe just based off it?

He Emperor spoke before she could reach for her bag, swallowed in thought as she was. "The signs I read show the end of my path. My death, a necessary end, will come when it will come.

"What about me?" he said breathlessly.

The Emperor smiled to him kindly, "Your stars are not mine. Today the Lover shall sweeten your journey as you confront your fate."

"Can you see my fate?" he asked in silent awe.

"My dreams grant me no opinions of success. Their compass ventures not beyond the doors of death. But in your face," he turned to her then, "I behold the sun's companion. The dawn of Akatosh's bright glory may banish the coming darkness. With such hope, and with the promise of your aid, my heart must be satisfied."

Somehow the conversation had spun on without her, but here, at this moment she felt the words rise to her lips from her deepest heart. "Aren't you afraid to die?"

Emperor Uriel Septim, ruler of Tamirel for several years let a small sigh slip from his aged features, he seemed ancient to her then, living history and legend before her very eyes. "No trophies of my triumphs proceed me. But I have lived well, and my ghost shall rest easy. Men are but flesh and blood. They know their doom, but not the hour. In this I am blessed to see the hour of my death…To face my apportioned fate, then fall." A great silence killed the still air. Glenroy and Baurus looked to each other in worry, features hardening, she looked to him in unabashed awe. Her mind raced with all she had to do, all she must do, and in that moment of silence she saw in his eyes that he knew. She saw he had seen what see must do, _had really seen it_. Did he know she didn't belong here? Did he know she was trying to get back home?

"Where are we going?" her companion added lamely, jarring the silence back into reality. Probably because his armor was so heavy and he was tired of standing there.

"I go to my grave. A tongue shriller than all the music calls me." He intoned, looking strongly at Paulus as if pointing the accusing had of fate upon him. Paulus shrank before that powerful gaze, but then, the Emperor's face softened and the cracks of the ancient tomb lessened. "You shall follow me yet for a while, then we must part." Without word further he turned from them, moving in position behind Glenroy ready to go forward. Baurus looked from the Emperor's back and to Paulus, he stood from his leaning position on a pillar and came to them both. From a short string on his belt he pulled a long stick with a wet head, hooking it under his arm he took out a small band of flint and a rod of steel from a small sack tied to the same belt. He rubbed them together in passing over the stick as he lifted it, a single movement which sprung the rod into burning flame. The firelight blinded her for a moment, so she did not see him shove the torch into her companion's hand.

"You may as well make yourself useful. Here, carry this torch and stick close." He said casually, but it was clear he didn't trust the former assassin. It also became clear why he hadn't lit the torch before and why he was giving it solely to Paulus. Not only would it make the one holding the torch to easier to keep an eye on- for them and the assassins-, but it would also slow him down if he had to drop it to draw his weapon. No, he didn't trust Paulus at all. Her companion didn't balk at this however, instead he bowed his head.

"Yes, s-sorry."

Baurus waved it off, as he turned his back on him and fell in line behind the Emperor, "My job is to make sure the Emperor gets out of here alive, and I intend to do it. Stick close and let us do our job and you'll be alright." Glenroy didn't wait for more words, he marched wiftly forward through the tunnel leading the Emperor, and Baurus forward… and leaving she and her companion behind.

She watched them go, even without the torch light and tried smiling at him. "Come on, we need to help protect the Emperor, then maybe they'll trust us." She used the term 'us' even though it was clear the Emperor trusted her, trying her best to make him see them as the same. He looked p to her and the nodded distantly, his face still a pale mask. "I've got to get the pants off soon too." She added with a touch of a real smile. His eyes slightly doubled, intention flying over his head and by the expression on his face she could tell he was trying to figure out if it was his fault and if there was something he was suppose to do about it. "It's a joke." she added quickly. His face flooded with relief, but he seemed to appreciate the sentiment. "C'mon." Again they started forward through the short close ceiling tunnel, to stop in surprise when they saw the rest _waiting_ for them. Baurus was standing in stern silence, the Emperor slightly aside, and when they appeared he smiled and turned to continue. Baurus motioned for them to follow forcefully. Quickly they moved the few steps necessary to close the gap, Paulus held the torch over head helpfully to try and cast as much light as he could.

The next room was a vast opening, a path cut the middle surrounding by raised sides with pillars spaced evenly between them. The room curved to the left in total darkness, but it was far wider than any of the other rooms previously. A great hall, though oddly designed for such. Suddenly she recalled what happened here and her mind worked quickly, remembering the line she had used on her companion she adapted it and moved quickly up to Baurus, and though she hadn't she whispered, "Did you hear that?"

Baurus froze, eyes glancing to her much larger ears, "Glenroy." He whispered in turn. Together they drew their blades. The Emperor's left hand rested on his silver short sword, an intricate blade of pure gleaming metal, etched with flowing designs.

With the warning she gave they were well prepared for the two assassins who, knowing they had been discovered, came running from the shadows on the right of the room. "I DO NOT FEAR DEATH!" one screamed, wicked mace in hand. She knew what was coming, even as Glenroy took up a defensive stance. Baurus looked from her to them, and gritted his teeth.

"PRISONER PROTECT THE EMPEROR!" he called, rushing forward to meet the second assassin. She felt stuck to the floor at their blades met the assassin mace and axe respectively, Emperor Uriel backed away, his eyes darting between them both. She nearly panicked, dumbfounded in the middle of the fight she couldn't look away from as she was now in the middle of it. However, to her surprise, the torch light moved forward. She turned in slight shock to see her companion run before the Emperor and duck behind his iron shield, even as he held the torch high in his right hand. Swiftly she was prompted into action, running to his side she held out her own leather shield, creating a wall between their attackers and the Emperor. Baurus parried the second axe blow against his sword, rolling along the missed blow to bring his sword around and slam into the attackers armor. Glenroy gripped the head of the mace with his free hand, slamming the butt of his sword into the attackers forehead. His attacker reeled, and Glenroy brought his sword blade down hard. Baurus didn't relent either, side stepping to stab his sword three times into the plate armor, jarring the assassin off balance and swiftly bringing his sword up doubled handed and down again on the weapon hand. In a scream the assassin dropped his weapon, and Baurus brought his heel forward in a vicious kick to his temple.

The whole of the 'fight' was over far faster than she had expected, and looked like something out of a movie. She had not expected it to be so, simple, and almost beautiful to watch with their skills. It was clear the assassin's despite their magical weapons and armor were no match for the well trained blades. A thrill of adrenaline, and hope, lifted her spirits. Baurus turned, seeing their defensives stances closely around the Emperor and a new respect enter his eyes. His features became less bitter and grim as he noted his suddenly trust in the Emperors trust had been well placed. Her companion was still shaking, even as he continued to hold up the torch, she was white knuckling her own shield. Glenory didn't have any words of encouragement however, but he looked to her with a kind of grudging acknowledgement. Stoically he turned back to the path ahead and advanced. The Emperor placed a kind hand on her shoulder as he moved past her and then Baurus. Baurus smiled to them, and motioned for them to follow a bit easier. Her companion looked to her, like he was going to faint any moment, and she tried to smile her proudest at him.

The four moved on into the wide hall, taking the left turn, and on guard for danger. A door nestled in the stonework on the left came into the light, and Glenory passed through it with wary stealth. Baurus kept his sword out, watchful. Entering the next room revealed another stair well, a layout much like the one Captain Renault had fallen in. A short stair well flanked by raised platforms that dipped a stairwell between them yet this time the stairwell led out into a kind of stage that jutted out into the room before another stair led down to the ground level which opened into a wide space with two pillars an iron grate on the right and a hall leading into darkness before them. "Hold up. I don't like this. Let me take a look." Glenroy held up his fist, they all halted. Slowly he moved down the stair and out onto the stage like landing. Her heart leaped into her throat again, knowing exactly what was to come. How could she? Should she… prevent…? Glenroy moved to check the gate, rattling it slightly as his hand pressed the latch. "Dammit! The gate is barred from the other side! A trap!"

Swiftly Baurus stepped to the head of the stair, " What about that side passage back there?"

Glenroy turned to it, "Worth a try! Let's go!" The Emperor began down the stairs, Baurus followed as did her Companion. They were moving too fast for her, making her panic as he mind tried to find some way out of what was to come and yet also wrestle with the fear of trying to alter it. What _would_ happen to her if she? And why had the divine not stepped in? Were they allowing Sheogorath to have his fun? Did they fear his reprisal? Shouldn't she then? What would happen to her if she died in this world?

She had followed, trying to come up with the words even as her tongue felt thick in her throat. The die passage was little more than an antechamber, enclosed with an off curve to the left that lead nowhere… and a very conspicuous stone window ledge to the right. That was were it would come from, she stared at it, absorbed by what she knew was to happen. All too soon Baurus voice penetrated her thoughts, "It's a dead end. What is your call, sir?" The sound of a gate slamming shut and locking behind them made her jump nearly from her skin, but the flat stone depression remained unchanged. Should she put herself before it? Get in the way? Would that lead to her death as punishment for trying to alter the 'story'?

Glenroy roared, "They're behind us! Wait here, sire."

Baurus answered her thoughts, "Wait here with the Emperor. Guard him with your life." Glenroy and Baurus both cried, "For the Emperor!" she found herself lifting her shield and moving toward the depression! Suddenly a hand turned her, it was Emperor Uriel.

"I can go no further. You alone must stand against the Prince of Destruction and his mortal servants. He must not have the Amulet of Kings! Take the Amulet. Give it to Jauffre. He alone knows where to find my last son." His words came out in a steady underline to all of her thoughts, throwing them from her as he removed the giant red gem from his neck and placed it into her hands. Her back was to the depression, time slowed as his last words flowed into her like a river of fate. "Find him, and close shut the jaws of Oblivion."

A hard kick onto her back threw her forward, she stumbled, loosing sight of the Emperor's determined face, the floor rose up to meet her; someone shouted in alarm, metal hit metal, she hit the ground and rolled into the wall. Her vision blurred, yet she struggled to rise, "TRAITOR! DIE!" Someone screamed in pain, metal hit metal again, three figures were struggling. She drew her Katana she had to stop him! The assassin who came through with a hellish dagger, she had to-! But it was not, just, one. In horror she realized there were two, and then a third, all rushing through the passage. Her companion was grappling with one of them, iron shield cast down. _There was only supposed to be one_. One of them held the Emperor who was holding high his silver blade. _There was only supposed to be one_. The third drew back his dagger, she leaped forward, too late she watched it inexorably plunge into his chest. The Emperors death cry was a low groan, his body crumbled, the assassin holding his arms let him fall. They turned their attention to her and her companion. _There was only supposed to be one_.

She screamed in fury and horror as she slammed her leather shield into the third. He hit the wall and the second quickly summoned a mace, bringing it down upon her shield as she turned to him. The blow was terrible, throwing her unprepared balance to her knees as he brought it up again. She held up her shield, but the second blow was more forced, sending it from her hands painfully. She gasped as he lifted it again- was this then, the punishment from trying to save the Emperor's life? From trying to get in the way and alter things? Before the mace could fall a sword appeared, striking the assign in the chest. Baurus and Glenroy; quickly Baurus's sword rolled in a circle, disarming and flinging the Assassin's mace from his hand in a puff of yellow smoke. Glenroy brought his sword down in a heavy arch, crumpling the assassin in the corner of his neck. The third got to his feet, but Baurus had lifted an driven his blade down into his cut, regardless of armor. Glenory turned then, dashing to help her Companion. She couldn't move as she saw all of this, sitting on the floor, as her eyes turned to the dead eyes of Uriel Septim.

He lay so still in his beautiful robes, where on his chest the Amulet of Kings had rested, now a red gash… a mockery of the red diamond, with blood pouring. She couldn't look away. Even as someone screamed, bodies clashed, and Baurus shouted in anger. Dimly she tore her eyes, concern for her companion reaching her, he was on the ground. The assassin lay dead with a sword buried in his chest… and Glenroy lay dead with an axe disappearing into smoke in his own. "No…Talos save us…" Baurus's words, soft and mournful. She crawled forward, past the bodies, unable to see the gore. Her companion, Paulus, her Imperial… his still body was all she cared about. He shouldn't have had to suffer for her mistake, for her trying to change things. She couldn't do it all alone, she couldn't, she needed him- more than she had even realized. He couldn't be… she came up to his side, hands seeking the wound, trying desperately to think of something to save him… but it was useless… she had tried to use her knowledge of the world for her own gain and he paid the price. He was dead.

"We've failed. I've failed…" Baurus voice cut into her, "The Blades are sworn to protect the Emperor, and now he and all his heirs are dead. The Amulet, where's the Amulet of King? It wasn't on the Emperor's body."

She turned to him, robotically, showing him the red diamond in her hand and spewing her lines word for word. "The Emperor gave it to me."

Baurus stared at it, hard, and her. "Strange. He saw something in you. Trusted you." Slowly he sat back on his knees, bowing his head, "They say it's the Dragon Blood, that flows through the veins of every Septim. They see more than lesser men. The Amulet of Kings is a sacred symbol of the Empire. Most people think of the Red Dragon Crown, but that's just jewelry. The Amulet has power. Only a true heir of the Blood can wear it, they say… He must have given it to you for a reason. Did he say why?"

She answered automatically, numbly "I must take it to Jauffre."

Baurus narrowed his eyes, "Jauffre? He said that? Why?"

Voice growing more and more dead she replied, "There is another heir."

Baurus again looked to the Emperor, unbelieving, "Nothing I ever heard about. But Jauffre would be the one to know. He's the Grandmaster of my Order." He looked back to her, "Although you may not think so to meet him. He lives quietly as a monk at Weynon Priory, near the city of Chorrol."

She looked to all the assassins around her, what was the point? Why should she continue... she would die anyway and… strangely, the idea no longer terrified her. "How do I get there?"

Baurus smiled ruefully at the overwhelming odds that now faced her, "First you need to get out of here." He looked to the archway the assassins had entered from, pointing; "Through that door must be the entrance to the sewers, past the locked gate. That's where we were heading. It's a secret way out of the Imperial City. Or it was supposed to be secret. Here. You'll need this key for the last door into the sewers." He again reached into the small sack on his waist, pulling out an iron key for her.

"The sewers?" she recalled the twists and turns, and further things they would need to pass through. Goblins… rats… more chances for death for herself.

Baurus read her expression, "There _are_ rats and goblins down there…but from what I've seen of you, I'm guessing you are an experienced Knight. Am I right?"

Dimly the words reached her, a joke? Was it all a joke? "I'm a Knight?"

Baurus shrugged lightly, "I thought so." He smiled then, "A few rats and goblins won't give you any trouble. You must get the Amulet to Jauffre. Take no chances, but proceed to Weynon Priory immediately. Got it?"

"No!" she said strongly, but what was the use? Her mouth hung open, eyes looking into him. Her mind warred beneath a current of fear, apathy, and regret.

Baurus stood holding out a calming hand, "Take it easy. You'll be fine. I know this is a lot to take in all at once. No one's more surprised than me that I'm sending an escaped prisoner off with the Amulet of Kings! But the Emperor trusted you for a reason, and I trust the Emperor." He said it firmly, then gripped his free hand. "The Amulet of Kings must get to Jauffre at Weynon Priory. He'll know what to do with it. Jauffre should know how to find the heir that the Emperor spoke of. The Amulet must reach Emperor Uriel's heir so a new emperor can be crowned!"

"What about you?" she accused, trying to imply he should go with her, "What will you do?"

Baurus turned back to the foreboding passages around them, "I'll stay here to guard the Emperor's body, and make sure no one follows you. You'd better get moving." He looked to her companion, still passed out on the floor, his eyes uncertain; "May Talos guide you."

"Talos has nothing to do with this…" she said beneath her breath.

"What?" Baurus prompted.

She shook her head, "What's the point? I'm going to die anyway… who cares what happens to me? Who cares what punishment I receive…" tears fell now, finally, the dam broken. "He was my responsibility! I saved him! I made him like this! I let him down!" she fell then into tortured sobs, digger her fingers into the dead imperials robes. It was pointless, all pointless… softly she closed her eyes and simply refused to continue.

…

"NO, NO, NO, NO, NO! Unworthy, Unworthy! Completely unworthy!" a deep thunderous voice cried. Without warning an elegantly dressed man, in a purple and gold suit like something from a play appeared and slammed the butt of his cane into the ground. "This will not do, this will not do at all! Stupid mortal, why do I even bother?"

Yet beside him another form appeared, slowly and with much more grace. "You ask too much, Sheogorath." she proclaimed regally. She was beautiful, almost, too beautiful to look at.

"What do you know Azura, you were tricked by a box! A box! Huh… just a box…" the bearded madgod scoffed. "I brought her all the way from the mortal realm and the first thing she does is mess with reality, we restart all over again, and what does she do? What does she do? No really, what did she just do?"

Azura, a tall woman with impeccable posture, flowing hair and a dress much like a night gown was unfazed by her partner's rambling. "It is clear if the mortal has some knowledge of the world, she will try to use it to her advantage, if you punish her for it, she simply gives up." Azura observed.

The madgod threw his cane up and snatched it violently, "This isn't good, this isn't good at all! I even let you give her a protector so she wouldn't act like a scared rabbit! Him! That, _thing_, you created from her mind." he seemed to ignore her.

"I had thought, perhaps foolishly, he would be enough to help her through this story." Azura said calmly. "He is the character she chose to create to explore the story of our world, and for a time, together they worked well."

"NO!" Sheogorath pointed at Azura with his cane, demanding like a spoiled child. "NO, NO, NO! I want suffering, sweet Azura, suffering misery and death, but she has to experience all of it! SHE'S the one who messed with the story, SHE'S the one who has to be sorry!"

Azura sighed, "If it must be so, then I suggest you change your mind and her's. Remove the knowledge, so she may choose her own path freely, and if you fear she shall alter reality, simply give her reason not too. You know as well as I, mortals do best when a reward is offered."

Sheogorath looked thoughtful, as thoughtful as a madgod could, "You said giving her the companion she created for the game, to protect her in the real world, would be reward enough."

"It would have been if in her proper mind, she had not tried to alter reality to protect him; she only tried to alter reality because of fear, perhaps without that fear for herself and him... listen thus, remove all the knowledge of this world and place it with her a protector, as he is but a creation I will instill in him a duty- a code he is honor bound to follow so the story will progress as it should- together they will travel the tale but-"

"But without knowing what is to come, she can't use anything to her advantage!" Sheogorath grinned malevolently. "Oh Azura, I really must thank you- I've never had so much fun! Alright! She'll start again, but this time in a _proper_ mind, her proper line, and he'll be her proper hook…and I'll be the proper sinker… you brilliant thing, like gold! Like a god! Like a shiney!"

Azura slightly stiffened, "Remember Madgod, you may hold more control of her fate because it was your realm, but I still do have a say."

Sheogorath waved dismissively, "Details details, entrails entrails." Azura folded her hands, refusing to be provoked, calm and sure. Slowly darkness fell…


End file.
